BRIDGEWATER, Va. – The Bridgewater College women's lacrosse team shut down Ferrum in a Wednesday home non-conference matchup, winning 16-4.

The Eagles held the Panthers scoreless for over 44 straight minutes after conceding three goals early in the first half. Ferrum was averaging 14.3 goals per game and had three scorers in double-figures through seven contests.

Claire Palermo-Re had two goals and a game-high five assists for Bridgewater, while Meredith Wimbrow added four goals. Paige Hennessy and Caroline Fletcher each had hat tricks as well.

Sophomore goalie Rachel Gruber made seven saves to just four goals allowed, while Jesse Colligan caused three turnovers and won five draw controls.

Ferrum scored on a free position shot with 17:19 left in the first half to make it 5-3 Bridgewater, but would not find the back of the cage again for a long time.

The Eagles led 11-3 at halftime and got the clock running on a man-up goal with 24:15 to play. The Eagles looked for an opening or a shooting space call before Palermo-Re found Annie Sullivan open in front of goal for a 13-3 scoreline.

Ferrum's Bridget Atkinson had a free position chance with 10:45 to place but Colligan ran her down and smacked the ball away, with Gruber picking up the ground ball.

The Panthers would finally break a scoreless stretch of 44:04 on a free position shot with just over three minutes remaining in the game, with Bridgewater safely ahead 16-4.

Wimbrow peppered the Ferrum cage with nine shots in the first half, scoring three times. She missed early on, but a Jenna Devilbiss eight-meter shot got the Eagles on the board.

Ferrum tied it at 1-all but the Eagles came right down off Colligan's draw control, and Palermo-Re hit Hennessy to put Bridgewater ahead for good.

Wimbrow came close again but was saved by Panther goalkeeper Graceanne Gershner with 20 minutes left in the first half. Gershner almost got to another Wimbrow shot but the attempt deflected in for a 4-2 BC advantage.

The Eagles controlled the draw again and Fletcher scored unassisted just 18 seconds later to make it 5-2.

Wimbrow was saved by Gershner with 15:32 to play but finished off her own rebound for a 6-3 scoreline.

Devilbiss beat her defender to the right with a burst of speed and snuck a shot inside the far post to make it 9-3 with seven minutes left in the opening period.

Gershner made nine saves, while Arielle Boyd led the Panther defense with five caused turnovers.

The two teams observed a moment of silence before the game in honor of the Seton Hill women's lacrosse team, who lost pregnant head coach Kristina Quigley in a bus crash on the way to a game two years ago.

Bridgewater improves to 3-3 and will open ODAC play on Saturday against Sweet Briar College. Ferrum falls to 5-3 on the year.