BRIDGEWATER, Va. (BC Athletics) – The Bridgewater College football team fell to Washington and Lee on Senior Day 23-7 at the Stadium at the Jopson Athletic Complex.

WLU got an instant jolt to start the game as Jaicere Bateman had his first pass attempt of the afternoon picked off on the second play from scrimmage. The return by Gabe Joyner spanned 40 yard and took the Generals down to the BC 10 yard-line. The triple-potion offense was stopped just short of the goal line forcing a fourth and goal from the one after Andrew Brown made a big stop at the line on the previous play, but Ty Collins dove just over the goal line on the QB keeper to get WLU on the board 7-0 after the Michael Fernandes kick.

BC was able to move the chains on the next series as Bateman and Jamel Johnson connected for a 23-yard toss, but a pair of incompletions followed and stalled the drive. The Generals got the ball back and methodically crept down the field including just narrowly picking up a fourth down conversion in BC territory to set them up in the redzone. Jacob Romero found paydirt a few plays later as he took the power rush up the gut from two yards out for the score. The Fernandes PAT made it 14-0 WLU with just over two minutes to play in the quarter.

Bridgewater got the ball back, but was forced to punt quickly after a three-and-out and Washington and Lee quickly moved the ball forward on a big third down conversion as Aden Boyd broke off a 25-yard carry on the pitch and go to end the quarter. The Generals continued to drive down the field, but a false start and a big stop at the line on third down from Eli Rucker and Jaelan Mathews forced a Fernandes 27-yard field goal that sailed between the pipes to make it 17-0.

The Eagles were able to move the chains to start their next series as a Brendan Robinson counter crossed the line to gain, but a fumble two snaps later gave WLU the ball back. The Generals drove back down the field and took their time doing so before Collins scrambled his way in from eight yards away for the score. The PAT missed wide left to keep it at 23-0 nearing the half. BC had to punt on the next series inside of the two-minute timeout and WLU looked to form a passing attack with little time left. The third play of the series saw Collins take a shot down the field, but Noah Hines came away with the interception in the endzone and returned it 29 yards as the half came to a close.

Hines came up big on the first WLU series out of the half. The Generals drove down the field, but stalled out at the 30-yard line and went for it on fourth down. Again, Collins took a shot to the pylon, but Hines was there to break it up and give the Eagles the ball back. BC put together its best series of the contest up t that point as the Eagles drove down into WLU territory thanks to multiple completions by Bateman, but ultimately got stopped while trying to go for it on fourth down.

The Eagles forced Washington and Lee into a punting situation for the first tie all afternoon after a three-and-out and the momentum started to swing in favor of the Eagles just a little as the offense got rolling into Generals’ territory. BC lined up to go for it on fourth down inside opposing territory again and this time did not have to work for it as the Generals jumped the snap. Giving BC the conversion as a fresh set of downs. Bateman and Cedric Drumgoole connected on the final play of the third for a 12-yard gain down to the WLU 21. Bateman and Drumgoole hooked up for another double-digit gainer on the next play and the momentum rolled as Bateman connected with Johnson in the endzone for the Bridgewater touchdown. Jack Hendren’s PAT made it 23-7 and back to within striking distance early in the fourth.

The BC defense forced another three-and-out thanks to a big tackle for loss from Elijah Choy and the offense started to roll down the field again. A pair of connections between Drumgoole and Bateman got the Eagles deep into WLU territory, but a sack stalled the drive and brought up a 4th down and 14 to go deep in WLU ground. Bateman connected with Brendan Robinson in the flat as the Generals dropped eight players deep in coverage. The running back carved his way towards the marker and made a second effort for the line but was stopped just shy, turning the ball over on downs.

Washington and Lee was stopped on three downs again. After Romero was tripped by one of his own men at the line of scrimmage on third won, giving BC the ball back down two scores with 6:26 to play. Bridgewater was able to once again drive into WLU territory including a fourth down conversion from Bateman to Evan Welsh, but Bateman’s next pass was intercepted just in front of the goal line by Charlie Fleming to seal the deal for the Generals.

Bateman tossed for 164 yards over the air and added 42 yards on the ground not counting the sacks he took late. Robinson was the Eagles leading rusher with 29 net yards on the ground. Drumgoole was the leading receiver for BC with seven catches for 76 yards. Johnson and Robinson also had multiple catches on the evening.

Defensively, Aaron Moore led the tackling for the Eagles with eight total tackles. Choy tossed in pair of tackles for loss as Hines teamed up with him in the secondary with his interception and a pass break up.

The Generals dominated the ground game with 240 yards rushing compared to just 46 for the Eagles led by 80 yards from Romero.

The Eagles wrap up the regular season next Saturday at Guilford. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. in Greensboro.

— BC Athletics —