VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (BC Athletics) – The Bridgewater College women’s volleyball team fell to No. 2-seeded Virginia Wesleyan in four sets on the road in the ODAC semifinals round Thursday night.

Score: Va. Wesleyan (VWU) 3, Bridgewater (BCE) 1
Records: VWU (26-4 Overall, 11-1 Conf.), BCE (22-7 Overall, 10-2 Conf.)

How It Happened
• Both teams stayed even throughout the match trading attacks and going shot for shot for the majority of action. The Eagles would strike first to start out the first set jumping out to a 3-0 set and then quickly a 7-2 score early in the first. However, with three massive kills by VWU’s Hannah Smith, the Marlins evened up the score at 11 apiece. With the go-ahead kill by VWU’s Madi Schmidt, VWU never looked back and kept the lead for the rest of the set finishing out a 25-19 set score.
• Then, as the first point went to the Marlins, the Eagles came back quickly to get off to a strong start in the second set. BCE did an effective job keeping the Marlins away from open spots on court and fended off the VWU attack for most of the set. While tied at 22, the Marlins snuck past the Eagles to take the lead and have set point. However, BCE would not go away adding a kill and a clutch service ace by Reagan Stoop. That would be all the damage the Eagles could do as the Marlins stole the second set from BCE taking a 26-24 set score.
• The Eagles kept the fight going into the third set jumping out to another early lead to begin the set. Just like the other two sets, VWU stayed close and would look for any chance to break open the scoring. BCE had the edge in attacks over VWU in the third as the Eagles would use all its 13 kills to its advantage. VWU quietly lurked behind BCE waiting for the chance to pounce, but BCE fended off strategic attacking sequences by the Marlins and pulled off a 25-17 third set score.
• Although most of the match stayed close, the Marlins hit their stride in the fourth set, executing on attacks effectively and merely doubling BCE in kills for the set with 19. The 5-0 scoring run for the Marlins in the middle of the set would be all that was needed to fight through and pull ahead for the final set score of 25-16.

Match Notes
• Va. Wesleyan took advantage of its attacking sequences more efficiently almost doubling Bridgewater in hitting percentage as the Marlins had a .254 total to a .130 hitting percentage for the Eagles.
• BCE began points successfully recording nine service aces to VWU’s five, respectively.
• Sophomore Reagan Stoop continued her strong showing from the previous matches marking a double-double with 17 kills along with her third 20-plus digs on the season (21).
• Senior Ashley Rutherford recorded her fourth 40-plus assists total setting up 40 attacking points.
• Senior Rachael Meyers led the Eagles defensively at the net with 4.5 total blocks.

Bridgewater volleyball wrapped up the 2024 season with 22 wins and 10 conference victories.

— BC Athletics —