LYNCHBURG, Va. – Bridgewater College led by as many as 15 points in the third quarter and then held on down the stretch to edge Lynchburg, 70-68, in the season-opener for both teams.

Ahlia Moone scored a career-high 30 points to pace the Eagles. Her previous career-high was 29 points, a mark she reached twice during her junior season. Eagles' guard Jada Gross reached double figures in her first college game, finishing with 11 points on 3-for-5 shooting from 3-point range. Jaden Alsberry had a solid first outing with eight points and a team-high six rebounds in her first college game.

Lynchburg got off to a quick start, leading 18-10 after the first quarter, but the Eagles controlled play in the second quarter to take the lead.

The Hornets scored first in the second period to lead by 10 before Bridgewater ran off 15 straight points to go ahead.

Moone knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and scored the first 10 points of the run to pull the Eagles even at 20-20. Alsberry then connected from 3-point range to put the Eagles up 23-20. Alsberry capped the surge with a layup, making the score 25-20 with 5:33 left in the opening half.

The teams traded points for the remainder of the half as the Eagles went to the break leading 34-28.

The Eagles built on their lead in the third quarter and led by 15 after Melanie Pick's steal led to a layup by Gross, giving the Eagles a 55-40 cushion with 3:33 left in the third quarter.

Lynchburg then reeled off nine straight points to pull within six before Taylor Stafford ended the Eagles' scoring drought with a layup, making the score 57-49, with 1:13 left in the third quarter. The third quarter ended with the Eagles holding a 59-52 advantage.

A 3-pointer by Moone increased the lead to nine points, 63-54, early in the final quarter, but then the Hornets started chipping away at the deficit.

With 4:52 left in the game, Lynchburg's Maggie Quarles made two foul shots to make it a two-point game, 64-62. After coming up with a steal, Quarles went to the line again with a chance to tie score. After making the first free throw, the Hornets' guard missed the second, but the Eagles' lead was down to one point with 3:15 left.

Moone and Lynchburg's Abby Oguich traded buckets' keeping the margin at a single point with 2:32 left.

Alsberry drained a crucial 3-pointer with 2:04 left to up the margin to four, but the Hornets stayed tough and another bucket by Oguich pulled Lynchburg to within 69-67 with 1:35 left.

Trailing by two, Lynchburg had three trips to the offensive end, but came away empty each time. With 10 seconds left, Lynchburg's Erin Green went to the line with a chance to tie the score, but she made just 1-of-2 attempts to close the margin to a point, 69-68.

Lynchburg immediately fouled Moone and the Eagles' senior made the first of two free throws to put the Eagles up by two, 70-68.

The Hornets had one final chance when Lizzie Davis was fouled with 2.8 seconds left. Davis missed both foul shots and Stafford grabbed the rebound following the second miss to secure the victory.