HARRISONBURG, Va. -- The Bridgewater College women's basketball team earned its third consecutive victory with a 79-48 win against cross-town foe Eastern Mennonite in the latest installment of the Route 42 Rivalry in Yoder Arena on Wednesday night.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Bridgewater 79, Eastern Mennonite 48
Record: Bridgewater 11-2, 6-1 ODAC; Eastern Mennonite 7-8, 2-6

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Bridgewater got on the board first as Abby Branner drained a three to open the scoring in part of her 10 first-half points. EMU was able to score on the next possession, but the Eagles mounted a 12-4 run over the next eight minutes as BC held the home side to just 2-of-12 shooting over that stretch to maintain a 15-6 lead going into the second quarter.
• Neither side saw a shot fall for the opening two and a half minutes before Abby Freeman's layup broke the scoreless drought with 7:39 left in the half. After a media timeout, Bridgewater continued to control the game as it pulled ahead 27-8 after a Jaden Alsberry bucket with 2:12 left in the frame. EMU drained back-to-back three-point shots and eventually worked the lead down to nine points at 27-16 as the Eagles held on for a 30-18 advantage at the half.
• Erika Nettles hit a jumper off an Alsberry assist to start the third quarter as the Eagles scored the first nine points of the second half, capped by a Branner triple to push the lead to 39-18 with 7:43 on the clock. Mya Hamlet finally got the Royals to the 20-point plateau on a layup less than 20 seconds later as Bridgewater just as quickly reaffirmed a 20-point lead at 41-21 after another Nettles basket with 7:04 left in the third. Both sides alternated scoring plays through the last six minutes, including a pair of threes by India Dailey, as BC went into the final quarter holding onto a 54-31 lead.
• Jasmyn Pierce dropped in a layup to start the final 10 minutes followed later by Rosemary Pierson getting on the board for the first time with a layup of her own to set the score at 58-35. Pierson was 4-of-7 for 10 points in the game with all 10 coming in the fourth quarter. Bridgewater shot over 40% from the field in the fourth quarter as it outscored EMU 25-17 and walked off with a 79-48 win to earn the bragging rights in the Route 42 Rivalry.

MATCH FACTS

• Alsberry led the game with 16 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field. She grabbed six rebounds, dished out three assists and blocked one shot.
• Abby Freeman pitched in 11 points on 5-of-6 attempts from the floor, while Branner and Pierson each finished with 10 points. Nettled finished with nine points and eight rebounds, including five offensive boards. 
• Dailey led the way with six assists to go along with six rebounds, six points and a pair of steals.
• Jay Garcia grabbed a career-best nine rebounds in 16 minutes off the bench and contributed four points and a block in the win.
• For the Royals, Hamlet led the way with 16 points and tallied six boards, three steals and three assists. Caris Lucas scored eight points with six rebounds, while Lauryn Moore finished with seven points in the loss.
• As a team, Bridgewater shot 48.5% (32-66) and held EMU to just 24.2% from the floor (15-62). The Eagles also owned the glass with a 54-32 advantage in rebounding. 
• The Eagles poured in 48 points from the paint and registered 34 points off the bench in the win.

UP NEXT
Bridgewater heads to Hollins on Saturday, Jan. 14, with tip scheduled for 2 pm.