NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Bridgewater College women's volleyball stunned No. 21 nationally ranked Christopher Newport as the Captains went down to the Eagles in a five-set thriller on the road Friday night.  

The Eagles completed the ranked win against No. 21 Christopher Newport in a five-set thriller on the road. 

The Basics 

Score: Bridgewater (BCE) 3, No. 21 Christopher Newport (CNU) 2 

Records: BCE (3-2), CNU (2-2) 

How It Happened 

• The Eagles weathered many scoring runs from the No. 21 ranked CNU Captains but gradually worked into rhythm in each set. No scoring run was too large for the Eagles to fight back in. BCE hit a solid stride halfway through the opening set with the help of a five-point scoring run started by Faith DePew. The squad rumbled on to surge late in the set and go on another consecutive point streak tying it at 24 apiece. Gabby Atwell answered the call to help close out the first set with a 26-24 set score. 

• In the second set, another nail-biting set ensued. Reagan Stoop helped get the Eagles off to a strong start going on an early 5-1 lead. CNU never let up, continuing to hunt for the breakthrough. The Captains took a temporary lead late in the set igniting a back-and-forth scoring sequence. The Eagles forced a late push in the second which put them in firm control with the help of another DePew strike finalizing the set, 25-22. 

• The momentum suddenly shifted to CNU's side in the third and fourth sets. A strong 10-point scoring run from the Captains helped grasp the control they needed to work their way back in the match. The Eagles were bested in the third set, 25-21. The same controlled play from CNU took over once more in the next set. Multiple scoring runs were enough to take hold of a sizable lead, squeezing by BCE to get the advantage with a 25-19 fourth set score.  

• The suspense was filled in the fifth set. Both teams struck down kills one after the other. BCE took the lead then CNU closed the gap, and then the Eagles took the advantage again. Nail-biting sequences consumed the match. The Eagles held steady despite the high intensity. It came down to the wire. The energy shifting back-and-forth throughout the set made it hard to indicate who would take the final point. Then, at 14-11, the Eagles worked their offensive set to a tee while looking to extend their three-point scoring run. Stoop lobbed the set over to the hands of Claire Griffith as Griffith pounded the last point to clinch the upset at 15-11.  

Match Notes 

• The Eagles battled in this five-set match with the Captains, despite Bridgewater being edged in almost every statistical category minus service aces (6) and digs (86). 

• Sophomore Lindsay Kelley led the way in assists with 49 and graduate transfer Anna Black led the way in digs with 33.  

• Junior Reagan Stoop cleaned up for the Eagles offensively and defensively posting 18 kills and 15 digs. 

Up Next 

The Eagles are back in action tomorrow, Sept. 6, in the CNU Tri-Match Invitational to face No. 12 Trinity (Texas) and William Paterson, which neither are teams BCE has faced in program history. The squad will see first serve at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Catch all the action on CNU All-Access Network.