BRIDGEWATER, Va. – The Bridgewater College men's lacrosse team stretched its winning streak to four games with a 12-3 victory over Wilkes on Wednesday.

Rookie defenseman Jake Truman scored twice for Bridgewater (to go with two caused turnovers), as did Jeff Strickland and Blake Mann. Curtis Hughes (five caused turnovers) and Sean Nevin (four caused turnovers, five ground balls) led the Eagle defense.

Freshman Kevin Metzger saw his first collegiate action in the goal, stopping five fourth quarter shots while allowing just one goal.

Wilkes actually led through the first 9+ minutes of the game. After BC starting goalie Andrew Buss denied Nicholas Ruggiero twice in the early going, Matthew Kelly put the first year program ahead midway through the first quarter.

Bridgewater found its footing late in the first quarter, as freshman Sean MacLeish got the Eagles on the board on the counterattack and then assisted Mann to give BC a lead heading into the second.

Wilkes defender James Peaney ripped a shot on the man-advantage early in the second quarter that rebounded off the post.

Bridgewater then scored not once, but twice in a row with the long pole. After another Wilkes man-advantage resulted in a Buss save on Ruggiero, Lucas Clark went the other way and scored for a 3-1 scoreline. Defenseman Jake Truman ripped one in a minute later to push the lead to 4-1.

Despite an answer from Ruggiero, Bridgewater got goals from Strickland, Thomas Maher and Steven Cosgrove later in the second period for a 7-2 halftime lead.

Bridgewater's defensemen kept forcing turnovers and looking to shoot in transition in the second half as Truman scored again and Nevin rang one off the post. That was a recurring theme as each side hit three pipes on the day.

Wilkes goalie Brian Manning finished with 18 saves and three ground balls. JT Weitzel had a game-high eight ground balls for the visiting Colonels.

Bridgewater (4-1) follows a season-opening loss with a four-game win streak for the second season in a row. The Eagles will face defending ODAC champion and national finalist Lynchburg on the road Saturday.

Wilkes (0-2) is in the first year of restarting their varsity program that last competed in the 1970s. The Colonels played their first game yesterday at Ferrum, falling 17-10.