SALEM, Va. (BC Athletics) – The Bridgewater College women’s basketball team fell to Randolph-Macon 57-26 on Saturday evening in the ODAC Semifinals.

The Basics
Score: (2) Randolph-Macon 57, (3) Bridgewater 43
Records: (3) Bridgewater 20-7, (2) Randolph-Macon 21-6

How It Happened
• Randolph-Macon jumped on the board first and cashed in on a stop as a second-chance effort made it 4-0. Jay Garcia got to the line on the next BC possession and cashed in, making both attempts. RMC responded on cue with a trio of three-pointers and pulled away as two more free throws by the Yellow Jackets made it 15-2, capping off an 11-0 RMC run. Aylin Humpherys ended BC’s scoring drought with a pair of free throws, but RMC had an instant response. Garcia finally got BC’s first make from the floor with a mid-range jumper eight minutes into the period. The teams traded punches before back-to-back RMC buckets made it 23-8 for the second-seeded squad after one frame.

• Garcia sank a pair of free throws to start the second stanza’s scoring, but another three-pointer by the Yellow Jackets in response stifled the BC momentum. Garcia cashed in on a second-chance effort for Bridgewater, but RMC responded again. Abbie Baker scored off another Eagles’ offensive rebound and RMC responded just over a minute later. Both teams went cold from the floor as it was over four minutes before RMC got back on the board. The Yellow Jackets added one more score to make it a six-point swing over six minutes and change before Riley Corcoran knocked down a jumper to end the drought for the Eagles. RMC got the last laugh before the half with a pair of free throws to make it 36-16 at the break.

• Autumn Gentry earned a trip to the foul line to open the second half and made both attempts. RMC scored on its next trip, but it was nearly three minutes before either team scored again. RMC ended the dry spell and pushed the lead north of 20 points at 40-18. BC ended its drought with a Baker score, but a Yellow Jackets three-pointer extended the lead once again. The long-range make sparked an 8-0 run for RMC to make it 48-20. Garcia made a free throw in the waning moments of the frame to cut it to a 27-point gap after three periods of play.

• Humpherys finished in the lane on the first possession of the fourth quarter and Corcoran and Jaiden Polston followed to make it a six-point Eagles’ swing before Randolph-Macon got on the board in the fourth. RMC scored to end the run, but a successful challenge by Stephanie Flamini gave the Eagles life once again. Polston made a pair of free throws following the correction of possession, and RMC replied on its next trip down the hardwood to make it 54-31. It would be nearly two minutes before either team scored again, but it was Humpherys cashing in on a pair of shots at the line to give the Eagles life again. Garcia scored next for BC and completed the old-school three-point play. Humpherys followed suit after a Polston steal and BC closed the gap down to 54-38 with two minutes to play. RMC responded with the dagger as a corner three-pointer found nylon and pushed the lead back to 19 points. Corcoran made a trio of free throws for the Eagles to close back in with under a minute to play. The senior from Chapel Hill grabbed a rebound with four seconds left and sent a pass deep to Garcia. Instead of taking the lane, Garcia gave the ball to Polston who sank a layup as time expired.

Match Notes,
• Garcia led all scorers with 16 points and finished her collegiate career with her 18th double-double of her career. Corcoran tallied seven points and five steals in her collegiate finale.
• Porter led RMC with 14 points as three different Yellow Jackets scored in double figures.
• RMC shot 36.2% from the floor while BC was limited to 22.0% shooting. More than half of the Eagles’ points (22) came in the fourth quarter. The Eagles were a crisp 75.0% from the charity stripe in the loss.

Bridgewater will narrowly miss the NCAA Tournament with a 20-7 record and multiple wins over teams ranked above them in the NPI rankings. Seniors Riley Corcoran and Jay Garcia finish among the program’s all-time leaders. Garcia finishes fifth in career rebounds, while Corcoran wraps her career ranked eighth in BC history in scoring. Both of their senior campaigns finish as some of the best the program has seen as Corcoran set the single-season free throws record earlier this year and finishes as the fifth highest scoring season for an Eagle. Garcia tallied the fifth most rebounds by an Eagle in a single campaign thanks to her double-double in the finale.

— BC Athletics —