VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The Bridgewater College volleyball team headed to Virginia Beach for the first day of the Marlin Invitational to take on Bard and Neumann on Friday.
The Eagles went 2-0 on the day, sweeping both matches in three sets.

Match One:
Final Score: Bridgewater 3, Bard 0 (25-12, 25-18, 25-9)
Records: Bridgewater 1-0; Bard 0-1
How it Happened:

• The two teams traded eight points before BC scored the next five to take a 13-8 lead forcing Bard to call a timeout. The Eagles went on to outscore the Raptors 12-4 following the timeout to close out the first set, 25-12.
• The second set began similarly to the first with both teams matching one another until a Faith DePew kill sparked a run allowing the Eagles to go up 9-5. Bard continued to keep it close with the Raptors staying within two at one later in the set. Ultimately, several attack errors by Bard allowed Bridgewater to claim the second set.
• In the final set, BC finished strong as it totaled six service aces with three of those coming from junior Ashley Rutherford. Newcomer Reagan Stoop led the set as she tallied four kills with the final one ending the match as the Eagles prevailed in the final frame, 25-9.

Match Stats:

• Stoop led the offense with eight kills, while Emerson Roper ended the match with six kills. Rachael Meyers downed five kills in the sweep.
• Faith Shields paced the team with 19 assists, while Ashley Rutherford picked up nine of her own.
• Sophia Stites led the team with 14 digs.
• Stoop tallied 14 digs in her first collegiate match in the Crimson & Gold to record a kill/dig double-double.
• The Eagles registered 10 services aces in the win.
• Bridgewater struck .267 as a team, as opposed to holding the opposition to a -.050 hitting percentage.

Match Two:
Final Score: Bridgewater, Neumann (25-15, 25-19, 25-19)
Records: Bridgewater 2-0, Neumann 0-2
How it Happened:

• Bridgewater came out hot in the first set with five kills, four of those coming from Stoop. Neumann attempted a comeback, but the Eagles were able to maintain no less than an eight-point advantage. Meyers claimed the set for Bridgewater with a kill making it 25-15.
• BC had a strong start to the second set capping out at a 6-2 lead. The Knights clawed its way back within striking distance closing the margin to two points, but back-to-back kills by Kylie Robinson and Meyers allowed the Eagles to gain momentum. Bridgewater ended the set with six kills to go up 2-0 in the match.
• The two sides traded scores to start out the third and final set of the match. BC held out to a 6-4 advantage through the set's first 10 points. The Eagles maintained a lead through the rest of the game as they edged out a 25-19 win to take the match, 3-0.

Match Stats:

• Stoop continued to dominate as she dropped in 11 kills on a .455 hitting percentage, while Meyers finished the match with nine kills of her own. DePew wrapped up her day adding six kills in the sweep.
• Shields led BC with 19 assists and also dropped in a pair of service aces.
• Stites recorded 14 digs, while Grace Williams and Shields had eight apiece.
• The Eagles finished the match with an impressive .349 hitting percentage as a team.

Up Next:
The Eagles will try to continue its run tomorrow for day two of the Marlin Invitational taking on Plymouth State at 11 am and Salem at 3 pm.