ERIE — Things could not have been worse for Aly Eagle.

During her senior year at Seneca Valley, two of her close friends died in two separate automobile accidents.

As a member of the basketball team at the school, Eagle was going through turmoil on and off the court for a Raiders team that finished with a dismal 4-18 record.

“It was terrible,” said Eagle, who has put that behind her this season as a sophomore on the playoff-bound Penn State Behrend women's basketball team. “Terrible things happened. I lost two friends. I didn't get along with the basketball coach, and I was suspended for my final game.”

In November, close friend Charlie Stunkard and his girlfriend died in a car crash. Two months later, she lost another close friend when Shannon Quail was killed in another crash.

But instead of crumbling, Eagle saw the tumult as something else.

“It was a test from upstairs,” Eagle said.

Eagle has passed it, but it wasn't easy.

Recruited by several Division II and Division III basketball programs coming out of high school, Eagle didn't want to make a scheduled visit to Behrend.

Her parents, though, made her go.

Once she stepped onto campus, she was sold.

Eagle was prepared to play quite a bit for the Lions as a freshman, but just a few days before the opener, she suffered a serious ankle injury and missed nearly half the season.

Still, in just 12 games, she hit 27 3-pointers and averaged 10.8 points per game.

Her freshman health struggles motivated her for this season. The Harmony resident hasn't disappointed for the 18-6 Lions.

“I've actually been pretty healthy all season,” Eagle said. “It was really exciting to be able to play every game after what happened last year.”

Eagle has hit 53 3-pointers this season and is averaging 10.9 points per game.

She has been remarkably consistent in her career.

“That was one of my goals coming in: to be consistent,” Eagle said.

“It's a complete turnaround from high school to college,” Eagle added. “Being on a successful team is nice for a change. I'm just so pumped to be in the playoffs. When I was at Seneca Valley, we only made the playoffs once.”

Behrend hosts Mt. Aloysius in the first round of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Tournament tonight.

The Lions needed 22 points from Eagle — 17 of them in the second half — to beat Mt. Aloysius Saturday in the regular season finale.

“It's been a crazy season,” Eagle said.

Behrend knocked off the No. 15 ranked team in the nation in Medaille College last month and beat Pitt-Bradford on a buzzer beater two weeks ago to earn the third seed in the tournament.

Eagle said one of the reasons why the team has done so well is the close relationship they share.

“These girls are my family,” Eagle said. “I can't ask for anything else.”