LA GRANDE, Ore. - Eastern Oregon handed visiting Whitworth its first loss of 2006-07 by a score of 70-53 after holding the Pirates to 26.7% shooting in the first half and grabbing a 40-18 halftime lead.

Corigliano led the Pirates with 13 points

Whitworth (5-1) improved to 50% shooting in the second half, but could not overcome the large deficit. The host Mountaineers shot 51.8% for the entire game, the highest shooting percentage by a Pirate opponent this season.

Eastern grabbed its largest lead (53-23) early in the second half.

Tiffany Corigliano came off of the bench to lead the Pirates in scoring with 13 points. She made six of ten shots from the floor. Leah Pomante scored nine points, also off of the bench. Both added four rebounds.

Eastern's Tiffanie Ulmer led all players with 24 points, making 9 of 13 shots. She also had a game-high nine rebounds.

Whitworth will continue play at the EOU Aramark Holiday Classic on Saturday night, playing Albertson College at 5:30 pm.