GETTYSBURG, Pa. - Bridgewater College opened its 2011 volleyball season Friday afternoon with a pair of wins at the Battlefield Classic hosted by Gettysburg College. The Eagles started the day with a hard-fought victory over Washington College, 3-2, before defeating Pitt-Bradford, 3-1.

The victories were the first for the Eagles under the direction of first-year head coach Erin Albert.

In the opener, the Eagles edged Washington in the first game 25-21, but the Shorewomen evened the match with a 25-21 victory in the second game.

Bridgewater took a comfortable 25-16 victory in Game 3 to regain the upper hand, but Washington fought back and edged BC 25-22 in the fourth game to force a deciding fifth set.

The Eagles took control early in the fifth and closed out the match 15-6.

Katie Baker (Strasburg, Va./Strasburg) dominated play at the net with 20 kills and eight blocks. Cadie Castle (Mineral, Va./Louisa), Katie Long (Floyd, Va./Floyd County) and Mara Hogan (Bridgewater, Va./Turner Ashby) added nine kills each. Kyllie Graham (Spotsylvania, Va./Spotsylvania) added 41 assists and Casey O'Leary (Quinton, Va./New Kent) led the team with 14 digs.

In the second match of the day, the Eagles came from behind to defeat Pitt-Bradford. Bridgewater lost the first game, 25-21, but won the next three by scores of 25-19, 25-22, 25-14.

Baker had another solid game with eight kills and three blocks. Long finished with eight kills and seven blocks while Castle added seven kills and six blocks. Graham finished with 26 assists and O'Leary added 17 digs.

The Eagles conclude play at the Classic on Saturday with matches against King's and Rutgers-Camden.