LA GRANDE, Ore. – An early-season win rarely defines a team's season, but Whitman College's season-opening 61-56 non-conference victory Wednesday night over host Eastern Oregon University might at least have set a tone for the Whitties' 2015-16 campaign.

Trailing 21-9 after the opening basket of the second quarter Whitman (1-0) responded by reeling off a 16-0 run over the next 6 minutes, 52 seconds to wrest the lead away from the Mountaineers (1-3). By the time halftime rolled around the Whitties had completed a 19-5 rally in the quarter to take a 28-23 advantage into the intermission.

Eastern Oregon would make a run and tie the score, 31-31, less than four minutes into the third but consecutive jumpers by Hailey Ann Maeda shifted momentum back Whitman's way until the end of the game.

A lead as large as 16 points for Whitman dwindled in the remaining minutes, with EOU closing to within two points with 18 seconds on the clock. Casey Poe sank the front end of a pair of free throws to up the advantage to three then after missing the second shot she picked the pocket of Eastern's Darian Gasseling and was immediately fouled.,This time Poe drained both free throw attempts to make it a two-possession game.

An EOU three-pointer before the buzzer missed its mark, sending Whitman to a season-opening victory against an NAIA squad that finished last season with a 26-7 mark and with a trip to the NAIA national tournament.

The Whitties took some time to knock off the rust in the game's opening 10 minutes. They were down 13-2 early and with the EOU three-pointer to start the second quarter found themselves in danger of suffering ,a lackluster loss to open the season.

Things began to turn around with Sierra McGarity's jumper after the EOU trey. A turnover led to a Hailey McDonald three-pointer and the 16-0 run began to have its legs.

First-year Maegen Martin sank a pair of free throws to keep things rolling, followed by a jumper from Emily Rommel. Alysse Ketner was perfect from the foul line for another pair before Chelsi Brewer dropped one in from behind the arc to provide Whitman with its first lead of the contest. Maeda finished off the run with a jumper.

McDonald -- notorious for 'statting' up her whole box score line -- finished the night leading all scorers with 14 points while adding in five rebounds, five assists, three blocks and a steal. Also reaching double-digits for the Whitties were Poe, with 13, and Maeda, with 12.

Maeda led Whitman on the glass with a game-best six rebounds, though EOU won the battle of the boards with a 32-27 rebounding edge by the end of the night.

Turnovers were fairly equal in the game, 25 by Eastern and 23 by Whitman, but the Whitties made better use of their chances by scoring 25 points off Mountaineer miscues. EOU capitalized on Whitman turnovers with just 14 points, most of which came in the fourth quarter.

The Whitties' season continues with non-conference action in their next outing, the home opener Saturday against College of Idaho at 3 p.m. in Sherwood Athletics Center.