RADNOR, Pa.– Eastern University Women's Basketball battled through a tough shooting night to emerge with a 59-53 win at local rival Cabrini University in the season-opener for both teams. Sophomore forward Regie Robinson recorded a career-high 17 rebounds to go with 13 points, five steals, four assists, and three blocked shots.

The Eagles (1-0) started out in an early 6-2 hole as Cabrini's Caroline Price connected on the team's first two shots of the season. Eastern grabbed a 16-15 lead on a three-point play from Taylor Price with 23 seconds to go in the opening quarter. The Cavaliers tied the game with a free throw before Eastern freshman Kayla Holmes banked home a deep 3-pointer as time expired.

Cabrini answered the Holmes 3-pointer with one of their own to open the second period, but then the Eagles went on an 11-point run and seemed to grab control of the game, Robinson had six points in the run, and Taylor Price connected from deep. The  Eagles had three chances to stretch the lead to more than 11, but each time they could not get a shot to fall.

The offensive woes continued through the end of the half. Maya Harris scored a layup with two minutes left for the only Eastern points in the last six minutes. Cabrini closed the gap to 32-29 with an 8-0 run late. The Eagles shot 37.5 percent from the floor and took only five free throws. With Robinson and Emily Lavin protecting the rim for Eastern, the Cavaliers scored six of their eight first-half baskets from behind the arc. Taylor Price led all scorers at the break with 11 points.

With both defenses protecting the rim, the game ground to a crawl in the third quarter. The Eagles outscored Cabrini 8-2 over the first 5:46 of the period but again went cold to close out the period. Cabrini went on a 7-0 run to close out the frame and close the gap to a single bucket.

The Cavaliers took the lead in the game with just under seven minutes to play, but Lavin tied it up with an inside basket. Cabrini's Kate Skalski connected on a 3-pointer with three and a half minutes to play for a 49-46 lead. With the game on the odd number, the Eastern staff called a play for Amanda Riiff. The junior guard caught a perfect pass from Emily McPeak and drained the 3-pointer to answer. Riiff finished with 10 points and two made 3-pointers.

The Cavaliers made a pair of free throws, but Lavin again tied the game on a baseline jumper after Robinson had drawn the defense into the paint. Amber Anderson then hit an 18 -footer from in front of the Eastern bench for her only basket of the game and a 53-51 lead. Robinson made three steals and  5-of-6 free throws down the stretch to ice the game.

"They [Cabrini] did a good job slowing us up," Head Coach Eric Houston said after the game. "It is early in the season, and we did not shoot it well tonight. We left a lot of points at the foul line and on some missed shots, but the players executed down the stretch for the win."

Lavin was 6-of-10 from the floor and finished with a game-high 16 points. Taylor Price finished with 12 points.

The Eagles (1-0) will play Arcadia at the York College Coaches vs. Cancer tournament this weekend.