OWINGS MILLS, Md. – Eastern University Women's Basketball opened the MAC Commonwealth season and the 2024 Calendar year with a gritty 58-55 win any Stevenson University. The Eagles started the season with five losses, but have now won five of their last six. Taryn Woodson posted her fourth-consecutive double-double with a 17-point, 21 rebound effort.

The Eagles (5-6, 1-0) trailed early in the fourth quarter but Eagles tied the game at 44 on a Woodson put-back with just under four minutes to play. It was the team's 21st offensive rebound of the game.  Eastern then re-took the lead when Jeriyah Johnson stole the ball and raced to the other end for a lay-up.

The Mustangs (4-7, 0-1) briefly regained the advantage when a personal and technical foul resulted in three free throws, but Johnson found Woodson for a lay-up for a 48-47 lead with three minutes to play. The Mustangs again answered with two shots from the foul line to regain the one point edge with 2:40 on the clock.

Johnson then found Sosa for a  3-pointer, her third of the game, for a 2-point lead with two minutes to play. Sosa then hit a pair of free throws to give the Eagles their first two-possession lead of the game. Sosa and Johnson each hit a pair of free throws in the final 30 seconds to preserve the Eastern win.

The Eagles led for the final two minutes of the third quarter, but the Mustangs made a great play to flip the score.

After Jeriyah Johnson split a pair of free throws to put the Eagles up a point with 2.9 seconds in the third quarter, the Mustangs got a huge 3-pointer to end the third quarter. The hosts rolled the ball toward midcourt and sophomore guard Erin Dixon took two dribbles and heaved a 25-footer for her second careert made 3-pointer. The Mustangs hit a 3-pointer early in the fourth to give the hosts a five point lead. Trinity Upton hit a 3-pointer to answer, but the Mustangs had a quick answer from Emori Jeselskis to give Stevenson a 44-39 lead with eight minutes to play.

The Mustangs opened the game on a 9-to-0 run and let 14-8 after one quarter. The Eagles made only 3-of-14 first-period shots but were able to stay in the game by forcing nine turnovers and holding the hosts to 5-of-15.

Eastern tied the game at 16 and 18, but Stevenson scored seven in a row to build a 25-18 lead. Woodson scored to spark a six-point run to finish the half. Jakaylah Holland scored the final two baskets of the second quarter and the Eagles trailed 25-24 at the break.

Woodson matched her career-high, set against Stevenson last year, with 21 rebounds. Ten of the rebounds came on the offensive end. Through the Eagles made only 17-of-63 shots in the game, they earned extra possessions with 21 offensive rebounds and forcing 27 turnovers.

Sosa made three 3-pointers and finished with a season-best 13 points.

Johnson's finished with 13 points, nine steals and five assists. The sophomore's theft total was the most in a single game since Shante Jones collected 10 steals in a triple-double performance against FDU-Florham on February 15, 2011.

"It was kind of an ugly win," Head Coach Sarah Fowler said after the game. "We did not shoot really well or take great care of the ball, but we gutted it out and got our first conference win. We're grateful. We have much growing to do, but we have grown so much already. We are excited for the rest of the conference.