ST. DAVIDS, Pa.— Eastern University Women's Basketball opened the 2026-27 season with a 68-54 win over the visiting Lancaster Bible College Chargers. After trailing 20-16 at the first quarter and being tied at 32 at the half, Eagles (1-0) pulled away with a 21-point third quarter.
Madeline Wylie led the way with a career-best 18 points and 16 rebounds, but the Eagles got contributions from all positions as eight different players scored at least one basket.
With only Wylie and fellow sophomore
Sophia Vera returning from last-year's squad, Head Coach
Sarah Fowler needed her returners to lead early. Wylie and Vera each had six points in the first quarter to keep the Eagles in the contest. Wylie had 11 rebounds in the first half.
The pace throughout the first half was quick, and both teams contested every shot. The Eagles were 12-of-34 from the floor and the Chargers went 12-for-36. Wylie had a shot for the lead in the final seconds, but her attempt hit the basket infrastructure on the way in and was waved off.
A 13-to-2 burst late in the third quarter put the Eagles up 12. Wylie had six points and the Eastern team made 6-of-9 shots in the run while forcing three turnovers and holding their guests to only 1-of-6 shooting. The last basket of the burst came on a lay-up from
Jada Ramos-Diggs after a great skip pass from fellow first-year
Callie Wieber. LBC found a little reprieve with a 3-pointer in the final seconds to close the gap 53-44.
Vera, who finished with 16 points, scored from deep to open the third. After Wylie scored on a dish from
Camryn Rodriguez,
Laila Alexander hit from deep on a pass from
Ava Adams. Adams and
Aniyah Williams each finished with four assists. Vera converted a three-point play with just less than four minutes left to put the Eagles up 18 and ice the game.
Rodriguez had eight points, 11 rebounds, and a pair of blocks to provide strong support for Wylie. The Eagles had nearly as many offensive rebounds (19) as the Chargers did defensive (20) and won the battle of the boards 50-31.
Adams, a junior transfer, had ten points and a couple steals to go with her assists.
The Eagles are back in action at home on Monday when they host Cairn for a 7:30 game.
