Page 3 – The Waltonian

As recently as early August, the St. Davids campus of Eastern University was filled with little more than sunshine and stillness. It was summertime and the students were home, leaving hollow dorms and vacant parking spaces. The fitness center was gently used and new grass was able to grow where students had cut corners on the way to class. Returning students would not make their ways back to EU until late August, but the summertime calm of the St. David’s campus would be disrupted a few weeks early. Collegiate fall sports require athletes to sacrifice the end of their summer breaks by returning to campus nearly two weeks before the rest of their classmates. For many student athletes, this early departure means leaving summer jobs early and giving up precious time at home with family and friends. The transition from summer break to college living can be difficult for any student, but the struggle is only exaggerated by an early wake-up call to the fall preseason. For most athletes who crave the thrill of competing in games and races, preseason feels like an endless battle against one’s own body and mind.

On Tuesday, Aug. 16, the Eastern Men’s and Women’s Soccer teams were the first of the fall athletes to move back to campus. The following day, the Volleyball, Field Hockey and Cross Country teams moved into their dorms. NCAA regulations prohibited the start of official fall practices until Friday, Aug. 19, but these guidelines did not keep Eastern’s teams from beginning some important work. In the couple of days before preseason began, each sport engaged in a variety of team-building activities to set the foundations for their upcoming seasons. The EU Volleyball team took a trip to Gretna Glen, an outdoor camp and retreat center in Lebanon, Pa. The Cross Country team ventured to the Pocono Mountains for some hiking, swimming and relaxing in a hot tub. Opting for something less strenuous, the Field Hockey team hosted a craft night where each player painted a wooden Jenga piece with her name and number; the exercise symbolized the importance of team unity as a Jenga tower becomes more and more unstable as each puzzle piece is removed. The Women’s Soccer team enjoyed a pool party at a teammate’s house and even worked on some team fitness. Men’s Soccer used this time to get acclimated to Olson Field by putting in some tough skills work and team conditioning.

When Aug. 19 rolled around, EU sports (quite literally) hit the ground running. Both Women’s Soccer and Field Hockey were challenged by the “beep test,” a fitness test used to assess an athlete’s endurance and speed. While athletes are expected to train and condition during the summer months, there is a certain level of difficulty for which athletes simply cannot prepare. Coaches push athletes to both their physical and mental limits to cultivate teams that will stay strong throughout the long season. Since preseason takes place before the school semester begins, fall teams held two to three hard practices a day, with the addition of a cool-down session with Strength and Conditioning Coordinator Ryan Saltzman. Several athletes have commented that the stretching and low-impact workouts with Saltzman have sped up their recovery time after long days of conditioning.

While most athletes would probably prefer to spend their entire days playing their sport, the start of the semester also signals the start of regular season. Starting Sept. 1, fall athletes will take the field and officially start their regular seasons.

The Eastern University women’s tennis team (EUWT) has gone undefeated since their spring break trip to Florida. For the spring season, the Eagles stand with an impressive record of 8-2 as of Friday, Apr. 15. Two of the most notable victories for EUWT were their shutouts against Cairn University on Apr. 6 and Lancaster Bible College on Apr. 12.

Freshman Emma Paugh (7-3) has made a name for herself on the Eagles as the first singles player. Against Cairn, Paugh secured her match in just two sets with scores of 6-0 and 6-2. While winning is certainly more her style, Paugh has also shown that she can handle the pressure of playing from behind. In a match against FDU-Florham on Apr. 11, Paugh lost the first set with a score of 2-6; however, she was able to keep her composure and secure the second set with a 6-2 win, and then won the tie-breaker 10-2.

In doubles, Paugh and Amanda Riiff compete as the second doubles pair. Paugh and Riiff have gone 8-0 for the year. Sophomore Kelly Archibald stands as the second singles player on the EU roster and has an overall record of 7-3.

On Apr. 14, the Eagles shut out Cabrini College at home. Archibald and her doubles partner Laura Thomas won their sixth straight match for the Eagles, winning the match 9-7. Riiff won her singles match in

two shut-out sets, going 6-0 in each of them. Riiff is now 6-1 for the season. Paugh and Archibald also won their singles matches for the day. Paugh finished with scores of 6-1 and 6-1, while Archibald ended with scores of 6-2 and 6-3.

On Apr. 16, the Eagles fell to Wilkes University with a score of 1-8. Paugh and Riiff earned the only win for the Eagles in the match, finishing off with a score of 8-6. In singles, Thomas battled through the match, but was unable to come out on top. She ultimately fell to the Colonels with scores of 7-5 and 6-2.

On Thursday, Apr. 21 the Eagles will match up against the Blazers of Hood College. The Blazers stand with an overall record of 7-6, and will enter the match against the Eagles with a two-game winning streak with wins against Lycoming and Messiah. Coming off of a loss against Wilkes, the Eagles will have to recuperate and prepare for Hood to come out strong. The match will be competitive, but it is predicted that the Eagles will pull ahead and win the match 5-4.

Unlike many Christian schools, Eastern University does not require its students to profess belief or devotion to the Christian faith. With this sort of policy, Eastern welcomes students of any and all denominations, and even leaves the door open for those of doubt and non-belief. Even without any restrictions placed on students in terms of their individual faiths, Eastern is still very much able to uphold its commitment to faith in a very personal and compassionate way.

Led by Dr. Joseph Modica, University Chaplain, the Student Chaplain Program ministers to Eastern residents to promote fellowship and guide students in spiritual growth. Each residence hall on campus has a team of student chaplains who work closely with residence staff to create a safe and healthy living space for Eastern students. Once a week, typically on Wednesday nights, student chaplains host Grow Group for the residents living on their halls. Grow Groups take place anywhere from dorm rooms and hallways to lounges and outdoors. Student chaplains may teach a lesson, lead a Bible study, or simply be available to guide their group in discussions.

Before the fall semester, students who are accepted to serve as Student Chaplains move into their dorms about a week before the campus-wide move-in day. During that week-long training, chaplains engage in teambuilding activities, participate in workshops with EU faculty, spend time with President Duffett one on one, and go on an overnight retreat to worship and grow together. Throughout the semester, chaplains meet once a month as an entire group, during which time they typically listen to a guest speaker. This time together allows chaplains to pour into one another and to maintain unity within the Student Chaplain Program. In addition to these monthly meetings, chaplains also meet biweekly with their Iron Groups- small, accountability groups among student chaplains.

Melissa Irick is a first-year Early Childhood and Special Ed. major who began serving as a chaplain in January 2016. Without a chaplain on the third floor of Sparrowk, Irick stepped up as a freshman to fill the role by the spring semester. Irick says that she loves getting to watch her “Grow Group grow, whether it be individually or as sisters.” She remarks, “It’s been amazing to watch as the girls grew closer and went from barely interacting to getting together outside of Grow Group to pray for and lift each other up.” For many residents, Grow Group is an opportunity to meet hallmates and to foster relationships that are uplifting and Christ-centered.

In practice, however, being a chaplain can be a very difficult and taxing job. As one chaplain put it, “With honest people that are devoted to getting to know their God, this program is a powerful one. With students simply seeking some kind of acknowledgement or recognition, this program is a wasted opportunity.” The role of a chaplain requires self-motivation, creativity, planning, and the ability to meet people exactly where they are. It means sacrificing time and mental energy, while still acting as a fully-functional student. With the dedication of student chaplains, Eastern is able to better stand by its commitment to the Christian faith.

As an elementary school kid, the worst days were when we would run the mile in gym class. The gym teachers tried to ease us into the exercise. They would add one lap at a time to our warm-up jogs in the beginning of class, but nothing really seemed to make it any easier. To be completely honest, I don’t even know if I ran an entire mile in elementary school. By the second lap, I would always end up walking on the far end of the track, where my gym teacher could hardly see me. I remember another time when I actually started walking backwards on the track because I was trying to follow a little, white butterfly…

I don’t think I’ve ever actually met a kid who enjoys running. At the summer camp where I work, I think about 90% of the children complain whenever we do an activity that involves running, or even moving for that matter. I find it interesting now to see how some of my peers very much enjoy running while others despise it. I’ve wondered why some people love the sport and why others just can’t get into it.

Though I was a kid who hated running, I’ve grown into a person who loves it. I think this change occurred when running began to show me new opportunities. In elementary school gym class, running felt like torture because there was no purpose to it. It was never a competition and I certainly wasn’t seeing any results. When I started playing sports, however, I then looked at running as a means of conditioning. When I ran hard in practice, I saw how I could push myself in games as well. In high school, I saw the benefits of conditioning over the summer so that I could be faster and carry more endurance during the fall soccer season. During basketball season I would condition between practices in order to grow stronger and faster. Running was no longer purposeless. It opened doors for me. It showed me new paths.

In my adult life, a life in which I no longer play organized sports, I have struggled to run routinely. Just like an elementary school kid, I have been unmotivated to run because there seems to be no point. I quickly became a NARP (Non-Athletic Regular Person) and my well-being took a toll because of it. Without regular exercise I was moody and insecure. I wanted to get back into shape, but the thought of actually getting out and running was painful. I knew that running after a long period of irregular activity would be hard on my body, but I also knew that I’d never feel comfortable running again until I got over this tough transitional period.

The only way for me to get back into running was at very slow, regular intervals. My first few times out were at a snail’s pace and very short-lived, and I probably cried more than I sweated. What separates runners from non-runners is that runners know how to keep going. I wasn’t able to run any noteworthy distance at first, but over time I was able to build up stamina.

While I no longer run to condition for sports, I’ve found meaning in running because of what it brings to my life. Running is an outlet, a temporary escape from all the stressors of life. It gives me strength, and it teaches me to appreciate the body I’ve been given. Running is my worship, and I don’t ever want to stop.

I knew I had really done something special after the third day of practice. We were finishing up our conditioning–a full 20 minutes of sprinting–when Coach started lining up our team gear on the end line. Fresh boxes of Under Armor shoes sat in front of brand new Under Armor backpacks–all stuffed with practice uniforms, travel gear, and a pack of bright, white socks. There was a package just like this for each woman on the team, all embroidered with our designated numbers. I scanned the row and found mine, the number 35 stitched in white on the gray bag. I sat down on the cold, wooden floor and ripped off the well-used shoes I had been wearing. They had carried me through my final season of basketball at North Carroll High School a year before, and they were faithful enough to accompany me to my beginnings as a collegiate athlete. I tossed them aside as I opened the new shoe box, my old, trusted friends finally receiving the rest they had earned. The new shoes were stiff, and so I loosened the laces as much as I could. I forced my sweaty feet into the shoe and stomped repeatedly until my foot laid flat against the bottom. I looked down the line at my other teammates–26 feet standing on that gym floor in the same pair of white kicks.

I first started playing basketball when I was 5 years old. My first experiences with basketball weren’t magical by any means. I distinctly remember getting pegged in the nose by a pass from one of my teammates, and another time when I tragically shot at the other team’s basket. And my dad, who eventually became one of my coaches, constantly hounded me for standing around with my hands in the pockets of my shorts. I wasn’t a prodigy, but I was having fun. I remember being the only kid on my team who could launch the ball high enough to reach a regulation, 10-foot hoop. I ran up and down the court with my curly ponytail swishing from side to side. I started wearing flip-flops to practice and carrying my basketball shoes in a separate bag, just like the older girls did. What had started as a fun activity for a kid to do after school quickly turned into part of my identity. I was a basketball player.

Like most kids, I insisted on keeping a list of all my favorite things. My favorite color was purple. My favorite animal was the llama. And my favorite sport? Well, at the time I had said it was soccer. I started playing soccer when I was 3, and my dad had always been my coach. Soccer was my favorite because it came first, and so naturally basketball ranked second. When I was about 8 years old, however, I started reevaluating my list of favorite things. While purple and llamas stood unwavering, I questioned my true love for soccer. Basketball challenged me in a way soccer never had. While I felt largely lost and unnoticed on a soccer field with 10 other girls, I felt powerful and in control on a basketball court with just 4 other teammates. I came to my dad one day to share with him the revelation I had about my identity. With tears streaming down my face, I said, “Daddy, I think I like basketball better than soccer.” I was sure that my dad would be angry with me–I mean, he was my soccer coach after all. Instead, he told me just the opposite. He smiled at me with all the love in the world and said, “Shelly. It’s okay to like basketball more than soccer. You’re not hurting my feelings.”

With Dad’s permission to fall in love with the sport, I did just that. I played in a recreation league throughout elementary school, and then tried out for a travel league in middle school. When I made the travel team, my love for the game skyrocketed. I wanted to play basketball any chance I got.

After a couple years of travel basketball, I joined a team through the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) with a lot of the same girls from my travel team. The way it worked was that we could play travel ball in the fall and winter, and then play AAU through the spring and summer. The sport that had once been seasonal was now a part of my life all year round. I was in heaven.

AAU was my dream come true. Whereas most leagues have one to two scheduled games per week, AAU only plays tournaments. For two weekends a month, my team would enter tournaments that lasted all weekend long. In a single Saturday, we could play up to 3 games, only to return on Sunday to play a couple more. AAU was all about experiential learning. The more I played, the more I learned; and the more I learned, the more I wanted to take those new tricks to the court. With all of this experience, I was actually starting to see some edge in my game. I learned how to score in certain situations, and how to defend against girls who were quicker and taller than me. I learned how to play a game that worked for my height, speed, and ability, and I worked on parts of my game that weren’t as strong.

When I started high school, I tried out for the girl’s basketball team and was put on the junior varsity (JV) squad. In the spring, I continued playing AAU ball. I was a solid player on our JV team, and I was moved up to the varsity team for playoffs at the end of the season. For my remaining three years in high school I played on the varsity team. I started nearly every game and consistently scored double digits. I was one of the top-ranked free-throw shooters in my county. I didn’t know where basketball was going to take me, but all I knew is that I wanted to go higher. I wanted to achieve as much as I could in the sport. I wanted to be the best I could be.

When I began my college search, Eastern fell right into my lens. As a college, Eastern offered everything I was looking for. It was a small school with a beautiful campus that gave me the opportunity to grow in my faith and play college basketball. Eastern was the whole package.

I only played one year of college basketball before I decided to give it up. It wasn’t that I stopped loving the game–I don’t think that could ever happen. I just decided to pursue other big things in my life, just like basketball had trumped soccer when I was little. I wanted to spend my mornings drinking coffee and reading good books, and my nights talking and laughing with my friends. I wanted the freedom to do whatever on the weekends and to enjoy holiday breaks at home with my family. I wanted to soak up as much knowledge as I could during my short 4 years in college, and that meant dedicating a lot more time to my school work. I wanted so many things for myself, and basketball just got squeezed out of the picture.

Just because I no longer play my sport doesn’t discredit me from being an athlete. I still think like an athlete and work like an athlete. There are things in life that will come and go, but it doesn’t mean that I have to let them go all together.

I don’t know if I’ll ever find something that gives me the thrill of 3 seconds on the shot clock, a ball in my hands. 3, 2, 1.

Swish.

Over spring break, the EU Women’s Softball (EUSB) team headed down to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to take part in the Fastpitch Dreams Classic. The Eagles started the weekend with a double-header against the University of Mary Washington on Feb. 29. EUSB won the first game by a score of 2-0. Ashton Tomlinson drove in the first run in the sixth inning off of a single. The second run was scored by Kelsey Clever in the same inning off of a pitching error. Later that day, the Eagles also won the second game of the double-header with a score of 5-4. Tomlinson finished with 3 hits while Clever, Erin Johnson, and Taylor Crown all finished with 2.

On Wednesday, March 2, the Eagles played another double-header against West Virginia State University. EUSB fell short both games, finishing with scores of 0-1 and 3-6. Despite the loss, EU was still able to put some hits in the book. Olivia Heffinger, Alyssa Welsh, and Deanna Laughman all finished the second game with 2 hits each.

The next few days of the tournament came with a few rough patches for the Eagles. On Thursday, March 3, they faced the University of Mary Washington once again. EUSB left 8 runners on base during the course of the game and fell to Mary Washington with a final score of 10-2. Later that day, the Eagles faced West Virginia State University for the third time during the tournament. EUSB fell to the Yellow Jackets with a score of 2-8.

On Saturday, March 5, the last day of the tournament, the Eagles started the day with a match-up against Penn State Harrisburg. EUSB was able to snap their 4-game losing streak with a 5-3 win. Laughman, Tomlinson, Welsh, and Haileigh Williams all finished with 2 hits while Kasey Williams, Leah Lozzi, and Crown all added 1 each. The Eagles finished the Fastpitch Dreams Classic with a record of 3-5.

Back in St. Davids, the Eagles’ home-opener took place on Saturday, March 12 with a match-up against York College of Pennsylvania. The Eagles lost both ends of their double header to push their record to 3-7.

Tomlinson currently leads the eagles in hitting with a batting average of .400 and a total of 10 hits. Welsh stands with a .350 average and 7 hits, while Laughman has a .308 average and adds another 8 hits. In pitching, H. Williams has accumulated 14 strikeouts thus far. EUSB will begin conference play on Saturday, March 19 against Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

On Wed., Feb. 17, Eastern University opened its new fitness center to students and faculty. After the 10 o’clock chapel service and a prayer dedication, the gym officially opened its doors–complete with a ribbon cutting ceremony and a little bench press action by Dr. Duffet himself.

While I’m no gym-buff, I do like a good workout. My first two years at EU—before the revamped fitness center—I relied on the tiny, garage-esque gym to meet all my exercise needs. While the gym was small, it was still faithful. I was thankful that my school had the equipment it did. But even so, it was often unable to accommodate all the people who needed its facilities. On numerous occasions, I walked in the gym hoping to get in a quick cardio workout before class, only to find that every treadmill, elliptical, and stationary bike was occupied. In addition to the crowdedness, since there was no specific staff hired to maintain the gym, there was often free weights and other equipment sloppily laying on the floor, inconveniencing anyone looking for the equipment where it actually belonged. And if there was ever an EU sports team in the gym when I wanted to workout? Forget about it. That gym could hardly accommodate an entire team, let alone other fitness center users.

Yet as much as I complain about the old gym, going without one for the past semester and a half was so much worse. Eastern had very thoughtfully partnered with Fairmount Athletic Club to provide a discounted, temporary membership, but I quickly declined the offer. I refused to pay any amount for a service that I thought should be free at my college. At first, I was proud of this decision. I created a running plan, and was able to stick to my schedule by running on the side roads and through the neighborhoods in Wayne. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to devise a good strength plan without proper gym facilities, and so I just did my best to get by. I was proud of my little running schedule. In a funny way, I felt like I was outsmarting the university by optimizing my workouts without any of its accommodations. In January, however, the weather inevitably got colder. Although it was often miserable, I still made my way outside for runs, often bundled up in long sleeves, a light jacket, thermal leggings, some sporty gloves, and a headband to cover my ears. I was a pathetic sight, and always finished my runs feeling chilled to the bone.

When I read the e-mail from Bettie Ann a couple weeks ago, announcing the grand opening of the fitness center, I was excited to hear that I would be able to pack away my cold running gear. I had watched the promo video online, and on Thurs., Feb. 18, I happily made my way to the fitness center to check it out for myself. I was blown away by the professionalism of the facility when I first walked in. This is no thrown-together, make-do structure—it’s the real deal. The two-story fitness center features several different cardio machines on the top floor, including ellipticals, treadmills, rowers, stationary bikes, and stair climbers. The main floor features several lifting benches, as well as other strength machines. There are also free weights located on both levels.

In addition to the new space and equipment, specialized fitness center staff has also been hired to ensure the best of care for the new facility. Ryan Saltzman serves as the Fitness Center and Strength Conditioning Coordinator, and is available to assist individuals in workouts. Student athletes and athletic training majors have also been hired in the new gym, so as to establish a knowledgeable crew with the best interest of fitness center users in mind. To obtain a gym membership, students need only to fill out a fitness center waiver upon arrival of their first visit and present their Eastern ID. Questions about the fitness center can be forwarded to Ryan Saltzman at ryan.saltzman@eastern.edu.

I’m an overthinker who is hyper-aware of her own personality. I’m in tune with all of my little quirks, and I know exactly what makes me tick. I like morning routines and color-coding my school supplies. I function best when my bed is made and my hair is parted in a straight line. I live in a constant state of straightening up and sorting out, to ensure that my days operate on a tight schedule.

But I’m not naïve. I know that life is incredibly unpredictable. On a daily basis I am confronted with small, unexpected moments—the pang in my stomach when I realize I’ve forgotten an assignment. In little moments like these, I can handle the degree of unpredictability. I bump some things around in my schedule and make everything work. But sometimes, bigger things happen. Sometimes crises arise out of the blue, and everything we once thought was good and stable is suddenly knocked off balance.

Just a few weeks ago, I was struck by one of those unexpected incidents. A relationship I had thought was safe and reliable was shown to me in a new light. I had been fooled by someone I trusted, which led to a nasty falling-out. So much of my life was planned around this relationship, and for everything to come to such an unforeseen end left me heartsick and unbalanced. It felt like riding a seesaw in elementary school, when the person on the other end decides to hop off. With no warning, you go from bouncing rhythmically with your playground friend to plummeting into the splintery mulch.

In a state of instability, I clung to my routines more than ever, but I was so badly broken that all I wanted was to stop. I needed a break from all of my precision and order. I needed a revolution to shake up my life in the best way possible. I craved novelty and exhilaration, and I started daydreaming about all the things I could do with this newfound sense of freedom.

But, you know, being the systematic person that I am, the last thing I really wanted was another disturbance. After a week of just barely getting by, a little thought fluttered through the clouds of my daydream.

“Go to Wednesday Night Worship,” the thought said.

“No,” I snapped. “It’s too late. It won’t be over until midnight.”

“Just go,” it whispered. “It’ll be good for you.”

“I don’t know, I just—”

“Go!”

That night, I attended Wednesday Night Worship for only the second time in my three years at Eastern. I was anxious about going, especially when I still had homework to do, but something in my gut assured me that my time wouldn’t be wasted. And while the band was wonderful and the songs were some of my favorites, I didn’t have one of those awestruck moments. There was a peace about my time worshipping, yes, but I still felt unfulfilled. At the end of the night, I stood in the middle of Gough Great Room, squeezed my eyes shut tight, and prayed for some relief.

It was midnight when I starting walking back to my dorm that night. There was a light rain, and I pulled my hood up over my head. I strode the path alongside Gallup, the gravel crunching under my clunky rain boots. I spotted a big puddle up ahead, and I thought of all the ways I could avert it. I’d leap over it like a ballerina. I’d tiptoe to the side of it. I’d hopscotch around it. Even while I mapped out all the ways to avoid it, my feet marched directly through that puddle at full speed. As my boots broke the tension of the water, my laughter harmonized with the pitter-patter of the puddles. For the remainder of my walk, I danced into every puddle and smiled at the applause of the tiny splashes.

That night wasn’t about community in Gough Great Room. I didn’t need acoustic guitars or twinkling lights in a dimly lit room to find time for God. I needed time alone—time that I hadn’t already filled with my own plans. Whoever had convinced me that routines were the source of prosperity had clearly never taken a misty midnight walk. I lifted my face up to the navy sky and felt the rain of a hundred kisses on my cold cheeks.

Breakdown of Eagle’s Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams

Men’s Basketball

The EU Men’s Basketball (EUMB) team has earned an overall record of 9-11 as of Feb. 5. In the MAC Freedom Conference the Eagles have a record of 3-6, placing sixth out of the eight teams. The Delaware Valley Aggies lead the conference with a record of 7-2, followed by the DeSales University Bulldogs. The Eagles have lost a series of close games, making their current standing all the more disheartening.

On Fri., Jan. 22, the Eagles faced the Misericordia Cougars in the EU gymnasium. The Eagles outplayed the Cougars throughout the game, wrapping up the match with a score of 96-62. Malcolm Garrison put up 24 points for EUMB, including five 3-pointers. Shaquan Turk added another 17 points and 12 total rebounds, all on the defensive end. Though the Eagles were able to earn a big conference win, their luck was exhausted in the games to follow.

On Jan. 27, EUMB traveled to Center Valley, PA to play DeSales University. The Bulldogs outscored the Eagles by only a few points in each half. The first half ended with a Bulldogs lead of 35-33; in the second half, DeSales outscored the Eagles by a mere 4 points. The Eagles lost by a close score of 81-75, a very disappointing outcome against a competitive team. Turk led the Eagles in scoring with a total of 19 points and Garrison put up another 20. Austin Carroll also dished out 7 assists to his fellow teammates. Even so, the Eagles were unable to protect the net on the defensive end.

In another away game, EUMB matched up against Delaware Valley University. In a heartbreaking loss, the Eagles fell short by just 2 points, ending with a final score of 72-70. Going into halftime the Eagles led by a score of 40-23. In the second half, however, Delaware Valley outscored the Eagles 49-30. Once again, Turk led in scoring with 20 points. Turk and Victor Peña both finished with 8 boards. After the game, Coach McNelley commented, “We had this game in our possession but couldn’t make a stop when it counted and let another one slip away.”

On Feb. 3, EUMB faced off on their home court against Wilkes University. Wilkes led the first half by just a single point. In the second half, both teams fought to take the lead, but no one came out on top. The game was sent into overtime with a score of 80-80. Unfortunately for the Eagles, the Colonels took control in overtime to outscore them 17-10. In yet another heartbreaker, the Eagles were unable to pull through and secure the game.

Join EUMB on Feb. 10 at 8 p.m. as they face off against King’s College at home, and again on Saturday Feb. 13 at 3 p.m. against Manhattanville College.

Women’s Basketball

While the EU Women’s Basketball (EUWB)team has certainly fought hard in conference play, the Eagles have yet to string together a series of wins to give them a competitive edge. The Eagles have maintained a fairly even record, standing with an overall record of 10-10 as of Feb. 5. In the conference, EUWB has a record of 4-5, which only puts them at sixth in the MAC Freedom Conference standings. The Bulldogs of DeSales University currently lead the conference with a record of 8-1, their only loss coming from Delaware Valley University. Currently ranked second in the conference is Fairleigh Dickinson-Florham with a record of 7-2. EUWB will have a chance to make big moves in the conference through the month of February.

The Eagles were set to play the Cougars of Misericordia University on Sat., Jan., 23. However, amidst the inclimate weather of Winter Storm Jonas, the game was moved one day earlier to Fri., Jan., 22. With snow already falling outside, the Eagles quickly had to switch to a game-time mindset on a day they were only supposed to have a routine practice.

Misericordia came out strong in the first quarter, putting up 23 points to top the Eagles’ 18. However, the Eagles were able to slowly fight their way back. EUWB outscored the Cougars in the second quarter, cutting the halftime score to 36-34 with the Cougars still in the lead. The Eagles came out strong in the second half, and were able to secure the win by a final score of 70-65. Taylor Price finished the night with 20 points, while Emily Lavin added another 18. Regie Robinson led the Eagles in rebounds, pulling down a total of 10.

On Jan. 27 the Eagles matched up against the conference leading DeSales University. With a final score of 71-52, the Eagles were unable to ever gain a lead. Even still, Robinson managed to put up an impressive 20 points for the Eagles. EUWB gave up 32 turnovers to the Bulldogs, their most since mid-November.

Just three days later, EUWB matched up against Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, Pa. In yet another frustrating battle, the Eagles fell short with a final score of 77-64. Lavin ended with a double-double, finishing with 18 points and 12 rebounds. The Eagles managed to outscore the Aggies 39-34 in the second half, but this 5-point difference wasn’t enough to make up for the deficit of the first half.

On Wed., Feb. 3, Wilkes University traveled to St. Davids to face the Eagles. From the start, the Eagles came out much more dominant than they had in previous games. The Eagles outscored the Colonels throughout the game, and were able to secure a solid 76-47 victory. Robinson finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds, and Amanda Riiff added another 17 points. Point guard Emily McPeak was able to move the ball and dish out 6 assists. This big win has encouraged the Eagles in the midst of a frustrating season.

On Feb. 10, the Eagles will match up against Kings College at 6 p.m. in the EU gymnasium. Another home game will take place on Saturday, Feb. 13 at 1 p.m. Go out and support EUWB!

While most students were heading home for winter break in mid-December, the EU women’s basketball team was preparing for several tournaments that would take place between semesters. Going into the break, EUWB stood with a solid record of 6-1, including big wins over Messiah College and Wilkes University. During the first tournament of winter break, however, things started to get a bit tougher for the Eagles.

In the Hilton Scranton Poinsettia Classic (Dec. 15-16), the Eagles easily secured a win over Farmingdale State College with a final score of 91-59. EU showed great team unity as each of the 10 women on the roster managed to put some points on the board, and junior point guard Emily McPeak was able to dish out 7 assists. As a team, the Eagles shot 75% from the free throw line, making 12 out of 16 attempts. However, the Eagles faced a tough loss against Scranton University, who is now ranked #5 in the nation. With a final score of 81-58, the Eagles were unable to take back control. EU gave up 17 turnovers by the end of the game, and Scranton was able to score 26 of their points off of those turnovers.

EUWB’s bad luck trickled over into the second tournament of the holiday season, the Cabrini College Classic (Dec. 30-31). In the first matchup against Rowan University, the Eagles lost with a score of 74-65. Even so, EU sophomore Taylor Price was able to put up 19 points and pull down 10 rebounds, while junior Emily Lavin scored 15 points and added another 11 rebounds. In the following game against Widener University, EU suffered another 9 point loss with a final score of 79-70. With Lavin out due to injury, others were forced to step up and fill the void. Freshman Regie Robinson finished with 18 total points, followed closely behind by sophomore Amanda Riiff with 16 points.

In the Gettysburg Invitational (Jan. 3-4), the Eagles managed to get back on their feet for a while. EU started the tournament with a close win over Mount Aloysius College with a score of 63-57. Price led the Eagles with 16 points while sophomore Taylor Azer followed up with 15. The following day, the Eagles matched up against Gettysburg College with head coach Nate Davis, former head coach of the Eagles. EU lost by a score of 73-57 and allowed the Bullets to score 42 of their points in the paint

Following the break, the Eagles entered conference play where they fell to FDU-Florham (Jan. 13), Kings College (Jan. 16), and Manhattanville College (Jan. 20). This frustrating losing streak has left EUWB with a conference record of 2-3 and an overall record of 8-8. Luckily, the Eagles will continue conference play through January and February, in which they will match up with each team in the conference at least once more.