LEXINGTON, Va. -- The Bridgewater College field hockey team fell to Washington and Lee, 4-1, in its ODAC opener on Saturday afternoon at the WLU Turf Field.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Washington and Lee 4, Bridgewater 1
Records: Bridgewater 2-5, 0-1 ODAC; Washington and Lee 4-4, 1-0 ODAC

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Generals got on the board early in the contest as Zoe Dolfis found the back of the cage on the first shot of the game 2:13 into the first quarter. The home side got another shot on goal seven minutes later that was kicked away by BC goalie Ashley Nau, but Allison Pitts was able to collect the rebound and score to double the lead, 2-0, with just under six and a half minutes left in the period. The score held until the end of the opening 15 minutes.
• WLU earned a penalty corner to start the action in the second quarter and Paige Mammorella scored off the set play to make it 3-0 in favor of the home team. Bridgewater got its first chance of the game off a Lexi Francis shot that was saved, but a save from Abby Long kept the game at 3-0. A penalty corner ensued from Erin Dameron and BC was able to get off a shot from Kylie Amberger to no avail. The first half came to an end with the Generals still in front, 3-0.
• An offensive burst from Washington and Lee started off the third quarter as a pair of shots were blocked away by the Bridgewater backs before Betty Boatwright found the back of the cage to go up 4-0. Later in the quarter, a Daphne Daymude shot was blocked leading to a penalty corner for the Eagles. Meredyth Rankin played in a ball off the corner to Bekah Mercer who got BC back in to make the game 4-1 at the 36:57 mark of the game. Washington and Lee got off two more shots but were blocked aside to keep the scoreline the same heading into the final 15 minutes. 
• The Eagles started off the fourth with a penalty corner from Rankin who again played in to Mercer who got a shot off that was blocked. Another penalty corner was given to the Eagles, but without a scoring chance. BC did not have another attempt on the cage for the rest of the game as the Generals held on for a 4-1 win.

MATCH STATS

• Mercer got the lone goal for the Eagles with Rankin picking up an assist. 
• Mercer also led the team with two shots in the contest. 
• Amberger, Daymude and Francis also tallied shots in the loss.
• Nau started in the cage and allowed three oals with one save, while Madalyn Miller played over 40 minutes in relief and kicked aside one shot and allowed one goal. On the other side of the field, Long made one save on the only shot she faced and Julia McDonald gave up one goal on the lone shot she saw in the cage.
• The Generals outshot Bridgewater 15-5 and both teams earned four penalty corners.

UP NEXT
Bridgewater is back in action on Wednesday, Oct. 4, as it travels to Ashland for a 7 pm matchup with Randolph-Macon.