Ellen Canale got up off the ground smiling after taking a charge from Tennessee Tech’s Kristina Tyler late in the first half.

The sophomore guard knew she had sold the foul perfectly and senior Amanda Maxedon rushed out on the floor to congratulate her.

In a game where Eastern turned the ball over 23 times, Canale and the Panthers’ clutch defense carried them to a 63-61 win, their first in almost a month. It was the Panthers’ third Ohio Valley Conference win this season, second against Tech, and the victory snapped a seven game losing streak.

After Meggie Eck’s game-winning shot with 19 seconds remaining, Eastern’s defense rose to the occasion like it had all game.

Tennessee Tech head coach Amy Brown said she designed a play to get hot-handed Kendall Cavin open but the Golden Eagle guard never got the ball.

Eastern’s defense smothered Tech forward Cara Reed and the 5-foot-11 forward could not find an open passing lane and the game ended before the Golden Eagles could get a shot off.

“They covered us really well and couldn’t even get a shot off, Cavin said. “It was a double screen, we tried just to get a shot off but it just wasn’t happening for us.”

Tech closely contested Eck’s game winner but the senior managed to score.

“We did the same thing to them that they did to us except we made a shot and they didn’t,” said head coach Brady Sallee about his team’s defensive stand to end the game.

The Golden Eagles (5-13, 4-5 OVC) have struggled on the road all season with all five of their wins this season have coming at home in Cookeville, Tenn.

Tennessee Tech held a 33-29 lead at halftime but a 12-4 run fueled by two blocks and three steals gave Eastern a two point advantage.

In addition to good perimeter defense, Rachel Galligan was strong in the post, recording her second straight double-double and eighth in her collegiate career.

Galligan’s team-high ten rebounds led the way for the Panthers who out-rebounded Tech 40-29 in the game. Eastern turned its 14 offensive rebounds into 11 second-chance points.

Freshman Jessica Huffman filled up the stat sheet with a team-high 18 points to go with seven assists, seven rebounds and five steals. The freshman point guard also made seven of eight free throws, including two clutch foul shots to tie the score at 61 with one minute left to play.

Eck made three of six three-point field goals. The senior has connected on 102 3-pointer in her four-year career.