Marlins Keep Pace in ODAC Standings with 1-0 Victory over BC

BRIDGEWATER, Va. -- The Virginia Wesleyan College men's soccer team kept pace with the top teams in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Thursday with a 1-0 victory over Bridgewater College.

The Marlins scored the lone goal of the contest at 24:11 when Tanner Martin connected from 15 yards out for the unassisted tally. The Virginia Wesleyan defense held the rest of the match while limiting Bridgewater to just seven shots, three of which were saved by Connor Kirkham.

Kirkham now has three straight shutouts and six overall. The three most recent were by the narrowest margin as VWC managed 1-0 victories in each contest. Kirkham has yet to surrender a goal in any of his eight wins on the year.

Mark Davis made one save for Bridgewater (7-8-1/4-6 ODAC).

Virginia Wesleyan outshot the Eagles 13-7 while corners were even at four.

The Marlins conclude the regular season on Saturday at 5 p.m. when Guilford College (5-11/2-8) comes to Virginia Beach for Senior Day.

ODAC TOURNAMENT UPDATE

The top eight teams make the ODAC tournament. Quarterfinal games will be played on the site of the higher seed. The highest seed remaining will then host the semfinals and finals. Virginia Wesleyan has a chance to move into the top four seeds and secure a home quarterfinal with a win over Guilford on Saturday, combined with a Lynchburg loss at Emory & Henry.

Washington and Lee has clinched the top overall seed and will host the semifinals and championship if the Generals win their quarterfinal.

Below are the current standings with games left in conference play ONLY listed to the right.

1. Washington and Lee (9-0-1 - 28 pts.) – 1 left (vs. Roanoke)
2. Roanoke (7-2-1 - 22 pts.) – 1 left (at Washington and Lee)
3. Randolph (6-1-3 - 21 pts.) – 1 left (at Shenandoah)
4. Lynchburg (5-2-3 - 18 pts.) – 1 left (at Emory & Henry)
5. Virginia Wesleyan (5-3-2 - 17 pts.) – 1 left (vs. Guilford)
6. Randolph-Macon (5-5 - 15 pts.) – 1 left (vs. Bridgewater)
7. Bridgewater (4-6 - 12 pts.) – 1 left (at Randolph-Macon)
8. Eastern Mennonite (3-5-2 - 11 pts.) – 1 left (vs. Hampden-Sydney)
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t9. Shenandoah (2-6-2 - 8 pts.) – 1 left (vs. Randolph)
t9. Emory & Henry (2-6-2 - 8 pts.) – 1 left (vs. Lynchburg)