VIRGINIA BEACH -- Bridgewater College's Eagles scored the final two goals in a game against host Virginia Wesleyan College on Saturday to pull out a thrilling 13-12 double overtime victory.

The Old Dominion Athletic Conference game, played on Foster Field at the Trinder Center, turned into a back-and-forth battle once Bridgewater (5-7, 3-4 ODAC) managed to rally to cut into a 9-4 deficit.  The score was never separated by more than two goals throughout the second half and the overtime sessions.  VWC led 10-8 at halftime.

Virginia Wesleyan (6-9, 4-4) trailed by one goal several times during the first 12 minutes of competition, before seniorNatalie Belva (Colorado Springs, Colo./Liberty) scored off an assist from Courtney Shelton (Prince Frederick, Md./Huntingtown) to tie the gme at 4-all.  It was also the first of six consecutive goals by the Marlins to open up a 9-5 lead on the Eagles. Junior Taylor Harding (Norfolk, Va./Norfolk Collegiate) and rookie Carla Williams (Leonardtown, Md./Leonardtown) scored each twice in the run and Shelton scored once.

But, Bridgewater answered with a four-goal spurt to cut into the lead, before juniorNikki Salyers (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) scored with 41 seconds remaining in the first half, assisted by Belva, to give VWC a 10-8 lead at the break.

Bridgewater took control early in the second half however, firing in the first three goals to take an 11-10 lead and set up the back-and-forth finish.

Belva, Harding, Shelton, Salyers, and Williams all scored two goals each for VWC.  Mari Carmichael (Seattle, Wash./Nathan Hale) and Allison Buckley (Callaway, Md./Leonardtown) added one each.  Belva led the team with three assists.

Katie Freeman (Fairfax, Va./Fairfax) and Paige Hennessy (Dover, Del./Dover) led Bridgewater with five goals each.

Michelle Mace (Dumfries, Va./Woodbridge Forest Park) protected the goal for VWC in the first half and recorded two saves.  Brittany MacKnew (Abingdon, Md./Bel Air) took over for the second half and overtimes and finished with three saves.  Bridgewater goalie Laura Reynolds (Alexandria, Va./Bishop Denis J. O'Connell) recorded 10 saves.

Virginia Wesleyan closes the regular season on Saturday, April 21, hosting Roanoke College's Maroons in an ODAC game beginning at 4 p.m.  It will be Senior Day for the Marlins.

--AMDG--