LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Bridgewater College field hockey team bowed out of the ODAC Tournament in the semifinals as it fell to the top-seeded and No. 11 ranked Lynchburg at Shellenberger Field on Thursday night.
 
THE BASICS
Finals Score: Lynchburg, 4, Bridgewater 0
Records: Bridgewater 8-9; Lynchburg 18-2
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• As the sun set behind Shellenberger Field on Lynchburg's campus, the semifinal match up got under way with Lynchburg in possession first. The Hornets eventually earned the first penalty corner of the game that led to a shot from Marlou Wendriks that was pushed away by a diving effort from BC goalie Madalyn Miller. Minutes later, Olivia van Metre got the scoring started as she found the back of the cage off a pass from Wendriks, 1-0, with eight and a half minutes left in the opening period. Bridgewater had its first chance with six minutes to go in the first as a pass from Olivia DeWan just missed Autumn Just's stick. With just over two minutes left in the quarter, the Hornets got another penalty corner, but the BC defense stepped up and didn't allow an attempt on the cage. The period came to a close with Lynchburg still in front, 1-0.
• In the second quarter, the Eagles earned their first penalty corner of the contest as Kylie Amberger possessed into the circle before getting fouled. Minutes later, BC's first shot went on target as Carynn Klingler shot from the short side as Kayla Brady kicked the attempt away. Off the rebound, the Eagles got another penalty corner as the ball was played in by Meredyth Rankin to Rylie Flick whose attempt was also kicked away. The Eagles had one more attempt on frame off a third penalty corner, but the attempt did not lead to a shot. The Hornets went in transition and had a shot of their own as Wendriks tried to double the lead, but Miller's pads made the stop. With eight minutes to go in the half, Lynchburg took possession near midfield and Anna Dorrestijn rocketed a shot past Miller for her fourth goal of the season to put the home side up 2-0. The top-seeded Hornets added to the advantage just over two minutes later as Kessa Shaffer got a feed from Renee Van Thiel for her fifth score of the campaign and made the score 3-0. The Eagles got one more penalty corner near the end of the half but did not produce a shot. The half came to an end with the Hornets in front, 3-0.
• Daphne Daymude had the first shot of the second half as she fired a shot that forced Brady to make a save just 30 seconds into the third. Klingler was able to get a shot off a penalty corner that Brady once again pushed aside before Daymude rocketed a shot from the top of the circle on a penalty corner that went into the cage, but the goal was called off. Lynchburg took the ball the other way and Aaryn Boatwright deflected in a shot from Shaffer to make it 4-0. The score held as the period came to an end.
• Lynchburg had the first chance in the fourth as van Metre took a shot that Ashley Nau, who entered the game in the third quarter as the BC goalie, saved. Both teams exchanged possessions for the next several minutes before Dorrestijn got off another shot that Nau kicked away to keep the score the same with under four minutes left in the contest. Neither side had another scoring chance as the clock hit zero for a 4-0 final.

GAME STATS

• Daymude and Klingler led the way for the Eagles with two shots each.
• Miller and Nau combined to make four saves, while Brady made five stops in all 90 minutes.
• Lynchburg outshot Bridgewater 14-7, while each team had six penalty corners.

The Bridgewater 2023 season comes to an end with an 8-9 record after making its first trip to the ODAC Semifinals since 2016.