STAUNTON, Va. – The Bridgewater College volleyball team kicked off the new season with a 3-0 win in nonconference action at Mary Baldwin on Thursday night.

The Basics
Final Score: Bridgewater 3, Mary Baldwin 0 (25-16, 25-15, 25-18)
Records: Bridgewater 1-0, Mary Baldwin 0-1

How It Happened

• The two sides traded several early service errors as the first match of the season for both teams moved forward. A string of alternating kills went on until MBU went ahead 7-6 off a kill by Hanna Roach.
• A Lisa O'Grady kill started off a run of five-straight points for the Eagles as BC moved the set score to 11-7 before the Fighting Squirrels were able to break the run after a timeout.
• The Eagles took advantage of several MBU errors and pushed the score to 23-13 before eventually taking the set, 25-16.
• In the second set, Bridgewater won the eight of the first 10 points to open up an early 8-2 lead. The advantage grew larger as another lengthy run drew the score to 20-9 and forced a Mary Baldwin timeout.
• After the stoppage, the Fighting Squirrels went on a quick run to shorten the deficit to 22-13, but the Eagles earned three of the last five points to take the set, 25-15.
• The third set started off close as both sides traded points with neither team gaining a clear advantage on the scoreboard. That changed on a 10-0 run from the Eagles at the hands of Ashley Rutherford's serves to force another MBU timeout.
• The Fighting Squirrels closed the gap coming out of the break to cause a Bridgewater timeout, but the Eagles held on to take the final set, 25-18, and the match, 3-0.

Match Notes

• Sarah Kerns paced the Eagles in the season opener with seven kills, while Rutherford, Ashley Casey, Gabby Atwell and Rachael Myers each tacked on three kills each.
• Rutherford finished with 12 assists, while Grace Hayes added in six of her own.
• Seeing her first collegiate action, Sophia Stites started in the libero jersey and led the way with 11 digs before Emma Anderson played as the libero in the final set and picking up five digs.
• The Eagles as a team finished with 10 service aces, including three each from Rutherford and Faith Depew, also playing in her first action with Bridgewater
• The Eagles also combined for six total blocks as Lauren Nofsinger paced the team with three block assists, while Kerns downed a solo block and a pair of assists.
• As a team, Bridgewater swung at a .177 clip and saw the Fighting Squirrels finish with a negative hitting percentage

Up Next
Bridgewater is right back in action this weekend as it takes part in the Battlefield Classic, hosted by Gettysburg, on Friday and Saturday. The Eagles face Drew and Arcadia on Friday before closing out the weekend against Penn State Altoona and Salisbury on Saturday.