From the opening tip, Central Methodist left no doubt who the better team was on the court at Missouri Valley’s Burns Athletic Center.

Taylor Victorine put the Eagles up 20-6 with a 3-pointer less than eight minutes into the opening quarter and No. 9 Central Methodist (20-2) rolled to an 87-56 win.

Beating rival MoVal for win number 20 on the season meant something to the Eagles.

“It did, definitely,” said Daesjah Ely, who made the start and had her first double-double of the season.

“Especially here in their home. Whacking them like that… it had to go down like that.”

Ely was 7-12 from the floor for 15 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocked shots.

“We played together and played defense,” she said. “We just had the energy and played as a team, when people were down, we picked them up.”

Already leading by 21, the Eagles went on a 10-0 run to take a 66-35 lead on Lanay Rodney’s offensive rebound and score with 90 seconds left in the third quarter. She finished with 12 points.

Sam Caruth gave CMU its largest lead of the day at 42 points with a 3-pointer in the fourth. Caruth was 4-9 from the 3-point line for 12 points. Mercedes Jefflo led the Eagles with 27 points, eight assists and six steals.

MoVal 59, CMU 58

The Central Methodist men went on a 12-1 run to pull within a point of Missouri Valley with 2:13 left on Thursday, but neither team would score from that point in a 59-58 loss for CMU.

The Eagles had four missed shots and a turnover on their final possessions in a disappointing finish. CMU led 20-11 in the first half then trailed 29-25 before scoring the last six points of the half to lead by two at the break.

The Eagles started the second half 2-13 from the field.

James Byrd and Kyle McDermed each had 15 points. Josh Robinson had 11 points and four assists. Rijnard Hartman had six points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots. The Eagles fall to 7-15 with a 6-10 record in the Heart.