BRIDGEWATER, Va. – The Bridgewater College volleyball team won in front of a lively home crowd against Averett 3-1 on Friday evening in the annual Bleed Crimson game.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Bridgewater 3; Averett 1 (25-21, 25-17, 25-27, 25-20)
Records: Bridgewater 16-5 (7-2 ODAC); Averett 11-8 (6-3 ODAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The first set saw Averett get out to a 3-1 lead until Bridgewater's Reagan Stoop and Gabby Atwell hit back to back kills to tie it up, 3-3. The Eagles continued the attack kickstarting a 5-1 run to give the team the lead 8-4. Kylie Robinson got BC to 10 first, but the Cougars stayed within one, 10-9. Following the Averett comeback, Bridgewater ignited a 6-0 run which was ended with an Ashley Rutherford service ace. The two teams traded points to close out the set but the Eagles came away with the set win following a kill from Rachael Meyers, 25-21.
• BC got out to an early 4-0 lead with the help of Stoop and Meyers on the attack and were able to continue its dominance leading by eight, 10-3. Midway through the set, Bridgewater held a six point advantage, 15-9, with Meyers again on the attack. The Cougars managed to score only 17 points in the second set with a Stoop attack giving the Eagles the 2-0 match lead.
• Averett led BC 6-4 in the match's first 10 points with the help of Destiny McIntosh issuing an attack. Bridgewater maintained within reach tying the game up at eight following a Rutherford service ace. The Eagles capitalized upon an attack error from the Cougars to be down one, 18-17. Averett turned up the heat after going on a 4-0 run to create some breathing room 22-17. BC managed to put together a 5-1 run with Faith DePew leading the way with two attacks to bring the deficit within one, 23-22. Bridgewater was unable to match the attack from the Cougars with Emma Nash closing the door, 27-25.
• The Eagles got off to a hot start in the final set going up 10, 12-2, following a Sophia Stites service ace. Atwell increased the deficit to 13 following a Faith Shields assisted kill, 16-3. Averett mounted a comeback with runs midway through the match, but Stoop recorded four kills to help give BC the set win 25-20 and take the match 3-1.

MATCH STATS

• Stoop recorded 26 kills on the night putting her fourth in the record book for single season kills while also swinging an impressive .417 hitting clip. Robinson and Atwell each tied with eight kill.
• Rutherford registered 32 assists to earn a new season high, while Shields also got double digits with 19.
• Bridgewater picked up 11 aces with Rutherford having four, Stites picking up three, and Madeline Walker accumulating two.
• Defensively, Stites picked up 17 digs, while Stoop registered 12, and Walker ended with eight.

UP NEXT
The Eagles will be right back at it tomorrow as they host Guilford at 1 pm for the teams final regular season home game of the season.