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Bridgewater tops Washington and Lee on Senior Day, 30-20

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bridgewater eaglesThe Bridgewater College football team responded with two straight scoring drives after giving up a 14-point lead, taking a 30-20 Senior Day win over visiting Washington & Lee.

After the Generals scored 14 points in under five minutes, the Eagles responded with a key drive that ended in a 31-yard Anthony Rossi field goal and a 23-20 lead.

The defense forced a three-and-out and the Eagles drove down the field again. Quarterback Jay Scroggins hit Rayvon Johnson for 23 yards on a third down, and then went over the top to Johnson on fourth down to clinch the victory.

Bridgewater had led 20-6 when Marshall Hollerith scored with a minute left in the third quarter to make it a one-score game.

Washington & Lee’s Patrick Ryan forced and recovered a fumble on a punt soon after, quickly leading to an Evan Hinkle touchdown and 14 unanswered points in a span of 4:32 to tie the game at 20-20.

Scroggins completed 21-of-34 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown, while Malivai Barker rushed for 111 yards on 22 carries. Rossi made all three of his field goal attempts and was 3-for-3 on PATs.

Each team was held to two field goals in a first half that ended 6-6 as Matt Underhill hit a 38-yarder with time expired.

The Eagles were stopped on fourth down at midfield in their first possession. Charlie Nelson hit Witt Hawkins over the top for 36 yards and the Generals lined up to go for it on 4th-and-goal from the two but false started. Underhill’s field goal opened the scoring.

A Zane Grudzinski touchdown catch was called off for a hold, and the Eagles matched W&L with a 24-yard field goal following a 12-play, 69-yard drive.

Davey Hardesty stuffed a 4th down try on the second to last play of the first quarter. Scroggins hit Keith Jennings to pick up a fourth down conversion and Rossi’s career-long kick of 39 yards put Bridgewater on top 6-3.

A pass breakup by senior Tyler Post later in the second quarter forced a missed Generals field goal, and classmate Sonny Romine intercepted his second pass in as many weeks on the next W&L possession.

Bridgewater took a 20-6 third quarter lead on a 20-yard end-around run by Alex Galloway and a 4-yard TD catch to Jennings at the back of the end zone.

Chance Morris led the Eagle defense with 10 tackles and a sack, while Hardesty and Tyler Miller each made eight tackles.

It was Senior Day and the Eagles sent 15 graduating players and a student-assistant out with a win in their final home contest. Bridgewater (4-5, 3-3) will wrap up the 2016 season at Catholic next weekend.

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