BRIDGEWATER, Va. – Shannon Strosser made a defensive save with time expired to preserve the win on her Senior Day, as the Bridgewater College field hockey team clinched a first round ODAC bye with a 3-2 win over Washington & Lee.

Bridgewater led 3-1 late but the Generals pulled a goal back on a penalty corner with 2:49 remaining and then earned one final chance on another corner with time expired. Ali Bishop (eight saves) made the initial stop on Haley Tucker; Maggie Waxter put the rebound past Bishop but Strosser knocked it away off the goalline.

The Eagles scored on three penalty corners, redirecting a pass in at the doorstep on all three occasions.

Emily Matisons, who was just named the National Rookie of the Week, helped the Eagles open the scoring on the first penalty corner of the game. She took a pass from Elizabeth Washington and ripped a low shot that was tipped in by freshman Jacqueline DiFulvio at the right post.

The Eagles made it 2-0 less than three minutes later on a similar situation. Tessa Tierson inserted the corner and tipped in Strosser's shot at the left post to double the early BC advantage.

Bridgewater made it 3-1 with 8:37 remaining as senior Marisa Sims finished off classmate Madison Clement's pass.

Just like last year's regular season meeting between these two teams, when a bye was also on the line and the sides combined for no first half corners and just one shot on goal in the opening 17 minutes, there was again an early battle in the midfield.

The first real chance for either team came 10 minutes in, when a ball skipped through to Sims and her partially-deflected shot skidded just wide.

The first save of the contest came in the 14th minute, as Waxter redirected an Allie DiPietro shot off the pad of Bishop. Minutes later Matisons hit the cage, but a foul had been whistled on Bridgewater seconds earlier.

Washington & Lee's Noelani Schulmeyer came up with a defensive save to deny Matisons off MacKenzie Zabicki's pass. Bishop made saves on consecutive Generals corners within the final three minutes of the first half.

It was Senior Day for five Eagles, who matched last year's senior class with a program-record 48 career victories- Strosser, Sims, Clement, Zabicki, and defender Katie Ellis.

The Eagles (11-6, 6-2) earn the #2 seed in the ODAC playoffs and will play in the semifinals on Friday at Lynchburg. Bridgewater will face the winner of Washington & Lee vs. Roanoke.