In 2006, Rachel Galligan recorded double-digit points in 22 straight games.

Two games into 2007, the sophomore forward has to start a new streak.

Galligan was held to eight points and the Panthers lost 74-62 to Austin Peay Saturday afternoon at Lantz Arena.

Galligan, who entered the game as the Ohio Valley Conference’s second leading scorer, was continually double-teamed by Austin Peay’s Kellea Reeves and Alicia Watson, and she did not make her first basket until 10 minutes into the second half.

“They were quick to realize that I like to go to my left shoulder,” Galligan said. “They did a good job doubling down.”

Eastern head coach Brady Sallee felt the Lady Governors (5-10, 4-2 OVC) scouted Galligan perfectly.

“They did a good job of understanding how she scores and where she scores,” Sallee said. “I thought as a team they did a good job of defending her. I don’t know how much of it was Rachel and how much of it was Austin Peay.”

Austin Peay’s full court press disrupted Eastern’s offense and led to 23 turnovers, 15 in the first half alone.

“We turned the ball over a lot before (Galligan) even got a chance,” said senior guard Meggie Eck.

Down 38-23 to start the second half, Eck tried to draw Austin Peay’s defense away from the post when she made two 3-pointers in the first two minutes. Ashley Thomas also chipped in an early 3-pointer to take the Lady Governors’ lead down to 12, but Eastern’s poor performance on the glass stunted any comeback chances.

Austin Peay’s 25 offensive rebounds resulted in 23 second-chance points. The Lady Governors held a 49-28 rebounding advantage against the Panthers in their third straight conference win.

“If we take care of business and do what we want, then good things happen,” said Austin Peay Head Coach Carrie Daniels. “Hopefully it’s starting to come together at the right time.”

It is not the right time for Salle and the Panthers (5-11, 2-5 OVC), who dropped their fifth straight game, fourth straight in OVC play, and avoided a season-low 59 points with a meaningless Thomas 3-pointer with 11 seconds left.

“We’ve got 13 games left and we’re going to keep working at it,” Sallee said. “I still think that we’ve got talent at enough positions that we can (win), we’ve just got to get it done.”

Eastern briefly held the lead early in the first half but with 9 minutes, 56 seconds remaining before halftime and the score tied at 17, Austin Peay scored 21 points to close out the first half while Eastern managed only six.

Sallee was given a technical foul with two minutes remaining in the game, his second straight game receiving a technical foul, and sophomore guard Ellen Canale fouled out a minute later.

The Panthers were without freshman forward Marie Baker and sophomore forward Julie Lipperd. Both were injured in a collision in practice on Friday. Baker sprained her knee while Lipperd sprained her left ankle.

See the complete box score click here