BRIDGEWATER, Va. -- The Bridgewater College volleyball team saw its unbeaten streak in ODAC action come to an end with a 3-1 loss to Virginia Wesleyan in Nininger Hall on Friday night.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Virginia Wesleyan 3, Bridgewater 1 (22-25, 25-19, 25-22, 25-17)
Records: Bridgewater 14-8, 8-1 ODAC; Virginia Wesleyan 17-5, 8-1 ODAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• VWU held a 6-4 lead after the first 10 points of the opening set before a four-point run from the Eagles pushed the home side in front after an Ashley Rutherford service ace, 8-6. The two teams were evenly matched in the first set as both sides traded points for a majority of the game. Eventually, BC ran together six consecutive points to take a 19-13 lead after a block by Grace Hayes and Rachael Meyers. Not to be outdone, the Marlins pieced together seven straight points to go back in front at 20-19. Bridgewater got six of the last eight points to take a 1-0 match lead, 25-22.
• The Eagles started out the second set with five of the first six points to take an early 5-1 advantage. They eventually worked the lead up to 11-4, but once again, VWU mounted a comeback to tie the second set at 14-14. A service error gave the serve back to BC, but Virginia Wesleyan registered an 8-1 run to take a 20-15 lead. The Marlins coasted to a 25-19 set win to tie the match at one set apiece. 
• The momentum of the match started to shift in the third set as the Marlins started out with a 6-1 run. The lead dwindled to 8-7 and eventually, the set was tied at 11-11. The next three points went to the visitors but the Eagles kept hanging around by tying the set three more times at 17-17, 20-20 and 22-22 before VWU took the final three points to win the set and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
• Virginia Wesleyan opened up a 12-6 lead in the final set of the night and worked the lead out to 14-7 before a run of six of the next seven points for the Eagles cut the deficit to 15-13. The Marlins responded with four straight of their own and retook a six-point lead at 19-13. The Eagles were able to get a few more points after long rallies but eventually fell in the fourth set, 25-17.

MATCH STATS

• Faith DePew and Rachael Meyers each finished with nine kills, while Meyers recorded a .364 hitting percentage on the night. Lisa O'Grady pitched in six kills, while Kylie Robinson and Gabby Atwell each finished with five kills.
• Hayes led the match with 33 assists to go along with three block assists and two service aces. 
• Sophia Stites led the team with 21 digs and also had three service aces and an assist to add to her stat line. 
• DePew matched her nine kills with 17 digs and three service aces as the team finished with 11 total aces. 
• Robinson and Rutherford also finished in double digits in digs with 11 and 10, respectively. 
• On the nets, Meyers had a pair of solo blocks to go with six block assists. Lauren Nofsinger finished with two kills and had a solo block as well. Robinson pitched in three block assists to add to her stat line in the loss, as well.
•  As a team, Bridgewater swung at just a .056 clip, compared toa .172 hitting percentage from the Marlins.

UP NEXT
Bridgewater wastes no time getting back on the court as it hosts a tough tri-match in Nininger Hall tomorrow. The slate includes an 11 am match with Randolph-Macon and a scheduled 4 pm start time against No. 3 Juniata.