ST. DAVIDS (PA) – Meghan Nowak scored 32 points while preseason All-American Shante Jones added 18 as host Eastern University notched an 85-67, Freedom Conference triumph over Delaware Valley College.

The Eagles improved to 5-1 overall and a perfect 2-0 in the conference while the Aggies saw their mark fall to 5-2 and 0-2.

Nowak was 12-for-19 from the field (2-for-4 from 3-point land) and 6-for-9 from the foul line. She also led the way on the glass with 10 rebounds. Jones added seven assists and five steals to her point total.

Delaware Valley jumped out to a 13-6 lead and upped the advantage to eight, 18-10, with 11:16 left in the first half. However, it was all Eastern for the rest of the stanza as it outscored the Aggies, 30-12, to take a 40-30 lead into the break. Nowak scored 11 of her 16 first-half points in those final 11 minutes.

The Eagles built the advantage to 16 in the second half, before Delaware Valley went on one last run and scored seven straight – four by Emily Soper and a trey by Kaylin Ryan – for a 71-62 ballgame with 4:45 to go. Jones and Nowak answered with seven points apiece in a 14-0 run to put the contest away.

Soper finished with 18 points and nine rebounds, but was in foul trouble and played just 22 minutes. Brittany Battinieri recorded 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists while Jackie Shunkwiler and Brenna Coll added nine and eight points respectively. Coll also grabbed nine boards.