BRIDGEWATER, Va. – The Bridgewater College football team saw its seven-game home winning streak come to an end as it opened the season with a 51-19 loss to No. 20/22 Susquehanna at the Jopson Athletic Complex on Saturday afternoon.

The Eagles fall to 0-1 to start off 2023, while the River Hawks, who won the Centennial Conference a year ago and advanced to the NCAA Playoffs, go to 1-0.

The River Hawks started the scoring with 8:34 left in the first quarter as quarterback Josh Ehrlich connected with Kyle Howes for a 42-yard touchdown with a good PAT by Christian Colasurdo for a 7-0 lead. The visitors tacked on a pair of points after an errant snap on a punt went through the back of the endzone for a safety, 9-0.

Susquehanna increased its lead to 16-0 after Tommy Grabowski scampered in from five yards out, followed by another PAT from Colasurdo with 4:00 left in the first quarter.

The Eagles cut into the lead with a huge 55-yard pass-and-catch from Malcolm Anderson to Ian Browne on to put the score at 16-7 with 1:57 to go in the opening period.

The ensuing River Hawks’ drive took up almost seven minutes of gametime going 14 plays and covering 75 yards. Matt Surtz capped off the lengthy drive with a four-yard TD run, 23-7.

Much like the earlier miscue by Bridgewater, Susquehanna launched a snap through the back of the endzone for a safety to set the score at 23-9 with 6:41 to go in the first half. From the ensuing free kick by the River Hawks, Brendan Robinson, last season’s NCAA Division III statistical champion in kick returning, scurried 82 yards for a touchdown. A Jack Hendren PAT gave the Eagles life trailing by seven at 23-16.

Another important special teams play cost BC as a muffed punt turned into a scoop and score by Josh Lesesne who walked in from 12 yards out, 30-16.

Bridgewater was unable to get any momentum in the second half as Susquehanna held the Eagles to just three points the rest of the way and scored three touchdowns, including a blocked punt returned for a touchdown by Lesesne early in the fourth quarter.

Anderson finished 7-of-13 for 153 yards and a touchdown through the air. Jaylen Wood stepped under center for the fourth quarter and completed one pass for 29 yards.

Wood led the team in rushing with 51 yards on five carries, while Kennedy Fauntleroy, Bradey Loder, and Anderson all got a share of the carries on the day.

Cedric Drumgoole had four catches for 80 yards, while Browne was the lone scorer on the offensive side of the ball with one grab for 55 yards. Freddie Watkins saw one catch for 25 yards and Montez Green hauled in a pair of passes for 22 yards on the day.

Defensively, Aaron Nice was all over the field as he had 13 tackles (nine solo) to lead the Eagles. Aaron Moore registered eight of his own, while TJ Lowery had five and Zach Koller pitched in five of his own. Shawn Harris recorded 1.0 TFL, while Koller, Kyle Beer and Mateo Tucker had 0.5 TFL on the night.

The Eagles return to action on Saturday, September 9, as they hit the road to face Southern Virginia at 1pm.

— BC Athletics —