Bridgewater College rode a career night from junior center Kaitlyn Lehan to hold off Shenandoah University, 74-66, in ODAC women’s basketball action Wednesday evening at Nininger Hall.
Lehan set new career highs with 30 points and 17 rebounds to lead the Eagles to the win. The Eagles’ center just missed her second triple-double of the season as she also blocked eight shots. She set a new career scoring mark for the second straight game as she scored 18 points in the Eagles’ victory over Hollins this past Saturday.
Lehan’s teammates provided plenty of support with three more Eagles reaching double figures. Jessica Lam, the ODAC’s leading scorer, was limited to just nine field goal attempts and finished with 14 points. Sydni Carey and Rebecca Harvey each scored 10 points and Carey also dished out eight assists.
McKenzie Mathis paced the Hornets, 4-16 and 1-10 in the ODAC, with 14 points and Jordan Sondrol scored 11.
Bridgewater (13-7, 6-5 ODAC) closed the first quarter with a 7-0 run over the final two minutes to take a double-digit lead. Carey hit 1-of-2 foul shots and Jessalyn Monday added two free throws for a 22-15 lead. Lehan scored on a layup and Jasmine Pinder added a driving layup with 20 seconds left to put the Eagles up 26-15 at the end of the first quarter.
The Eagles still led by nine, 38-29, on a jumper by Carey with 3:47 left in the second quarter, but the Hornets reeled off nine unanswered points to tie the game at the half. Mathis scored six points and Erin French scored from in close with 40 seconds left to knot the score at 38-38.
A 3-pointer by Shenandoah’s Sarah Donley pulled the visitors to within a point, 52-51, with 3:31 on the clock, but the Eagles responded with an 8-2 spurt to lead by seven after three quarters. Lehan scored on a layup and Carey knocked down a short jumper for a 56-51 Bridgewater lead. Two free throws by Lehan were offset by two foul shots by the Hornets’ Mia Moore to keep the margin at five points. Carey hit another jumper with 18 seconds left to send the Eagles to the final quarter with a 60-53 lead.
The Hornets opened the final quarter with a 9-2 run and tied the score at 62-62 on a jumper by Kirstyn Arcata. Lam and Mathis traded hoops before a layup by Lehan put the Eagles on top 66-64 with 5:30 left to play.
After the teams traded empty possessions, Harvey worked the baseline for a layup, giving the Eagles 68-64 lead with 3:31 remaining. Sondrol scored for the Hornets, but Lam tallied off an assist from Carey to keep the Eagles up by four, 70-66, with 2:20 left.
The Hornets missed opportunities to pull closer, failing to convert two free throws and missing two jumpers as the score remained 70-66.
Two foul shots by Lehan with 37 seconds left pushed the margin to six and two more foul shots by Lam with 11 ticks remaining put the finishing touches on the 74-66 victory.
Bridgewater returns to action Saturday afternoon when the Eagles host Randolph College. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m.
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