LA GRANDE, Ore. – Eastern Oregon University Women's Basketball closed out its preseason on a high note at the second weekend of the Caldwell Classic, defeating Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University 73–61 and extending its unbeaten run to 8–0.
The Mountaineers came out sharp, opening the first quarter with a 20–12 advantage and stretching the lead to 33–23 by halftime. Embry-Riddle pushed back after the break, matching Eastern with a 19–19 third quarter and narrowly trailing 20–19 in the fourth. Despite the tighter second half, EOU's early control provided enough cushion to secure the victory.
Eastern leaned heavily on its starting unit, which logged the majority of the minutes and accounted for all of the team's scoring—an unusual shift from recent games. Kelsie Siegner led the way with a game-high 22 points, adding eight rebounds, a block, and two steals while shooting 9–16 from the field and 4–9 from the arc. Kaiea Waiwaiole delivered her first double-double of the season with 16 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, along with six assists and a steal. She remained perfect at the line (6–6) and efficient from the field (5–7). Maggie Smith provided another strong performance, totaling 14 points, five assists, three rebounds, and two steals. She went a flawless 7–7 at the stripe, added a three, and finished 3–7 from the field.
This matchup marked the teams' second meeting of the season, and Eastern's offensive growth since the early-November contest was clear. The Mounties shot 44.5% from the field, 35.0% from beyond the arc, and an impressive 94.7% at the free-throw line—major improvements from their previous outing, where they posted 29.5% from the floor, 28.0% from three, and 77.3% at the line.
With an undefeated preseason behind them, the Mountaineers now return home to prepare for their conference opener. EOU will host Lewis-Clark State College on December 5, with tipoff scheduled for 12:00 PM.