LEXINGTON, Va. – The Washington and Lee women's lacrosse team opened the contest on a 7-0 run and never looked back as it defeated Bridgewater, 20-7, on Wednesday afternoon at Watt Field.

After a slow start over the opening minutes of the game, W&L (8-4, 5-0 ODAC) senior attacker Wilton Megargel (Charlottesville, Va./St. Anne's-Belfield) found the net off a feed from senior midfielder Emmy Mathews (Baltimore, Md./Bryn Mawr) to put the Generals up, 1-0, at the 24:03 mark.

Mathews tallied the next W&L goal with 21:07 remaining in the opening half, and the Generals added goals from junior attacker Alli Shearin (Essex Fells, N.J./West Essex Regional) first-year midfielder Meade Brewster (Brookside, N.J./West Morris Mendham) and another marker from Mathews over the next 2:08 to extend their lead (5-0) with 18:59 on the clock.

After goals by junior attacker Maddie McKaig (Annapolis, Md./Annapolis) and Megargel put W&L up 7-0, Bridgewater (4-8, 2-4 ODAC) netted consecutive goals from sophomore attacker Caitlin Costello (Mount Airy, Md./Linganore) and senior attacker Leslie Crawford (Myersville, Md./Middletown) to pull the Eagles to within five goals (7-2) with 2:15 remaining in the opening half. However, the Generals received goals from Megargel and first-year attacker Margaret Klein (North Andover, Mass./Brooks) to assume a 9-2 edge at the break.

W&L scored the opening three goals in the second half, including two goals by Mathews and one by Megargel, to extend its lead to 10 goals (12-2) at the 26:59 mark and cruised the remainder of the contest as it posted the 20-7 victory.

Offensively, the Generals were paced by Mathews who finished with eight points off of five goals and three assists. Megargel added six points (5g, 1a), while McKaig chipped in four points (3g, 1a). First-year midfielder Alex Van Horn (Annapolis, Md./Annapolis) claimed a game-high 13 draw controls, while first-year defender Leanne Stone (Darien, Conn./Darien) and Brewster each contributed a team-high three ground balls.

The Eagles were led by junior midfielder Megan Bach (Manchester, Md./North Carroll) and Costello, who finished with two goals apiece. Senior defender Jordan Burkholder (Bridgewater, Va./Turner Ashby) collected a game-high four ground balls while forcing a team-high two caused turnovers.

Keepers senior Katharine Farrar (Lexington, Va./Episcopal) and sophomore Alex Hamill (Darien, Conn./Darien) shared time, with Farrar earning the win in 51:40 of action while allowing four goals and recording three saves. Hamill played the remaining 8:20, allowing three goals and not recording a save.

Sophomore keeper Caitlin Boles (Charlottesville, Va./Western Albemarle) took the loss for Bridgewater, stopping 11 shots.

The Generals will now break for final exams and return to action on April 16 as they travel to Lynchburg College for a 3:00 pm contest.

AGATE
W&L goals: Emmy Mathews 5; Wilton Megargel 5; Maddie McKaig 3; Alex Van Horn 1; Meade Brewster 1; Margaret Klein 1; Alli Shearin 1; Katie Hagen 1; Greta Witter 1; Kelsey Cotter 1.
W&L assists: Emmy Mathews 3; Meade Brewster 2; Alex Van Horn 2; Maddie McKaig 1; Wilton Megargel 1.

BC goals: Caitlin Costello 2; Megan Bach 2; Katie Freeman 1; Leslie Crawford 1; Taylor Chamberlain 1.
BC assists: Aili Knapp 1.

--GENERALS--