BRIDGEWATER, VA – Host Bridgewater College raced out to a 7-2 halftime lead on way to a 12-3 victory over visiting Wilkes University Wednesday afternoon in the Colonels final contest on its two-game spring break trip to Virginia.
 
Wilkes falls to 0-2 overall while Bridgewater improves to 4-1 on the young season.
 
Matthew Kelly put Wilkes on the board first when he scored off an assist from Matthew Bush (Lake Hopatcong, N.J./Jefferson Twp.). With 7:56 remaining in the first quarter. Bridgewater then scored the game's next four goals to take a 4-1 lead with 10:49 left in the second frame.
 
Nicholas Ruggiero (Califon, NJ/Voorhees) added his second goal of the season unassisted at 8:47 until the break cutting the Eagles advantage to 4-2. Bridgewater then went on to score the next three goals of the first half and added one more strike in the third and four in the final quarter to seal the home non-conference victory. JT Weitzel (Hampstead, Md./North Carroll) notched his team-leading sixth goal of the season midway through the fourth to round out the Wilkes scoring in the contest.
 
Bridgewater held a 49-32 shot advantage in the game. Wilkes was efficient clearing the ball in the defensive end finishing the game 21-of-25 in clearing attempts.
 
Brian Manning (Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach) played in all but :23 in the cage for Wilkes finishing with 18 saves. John Malley (Jefferson Twp., N.J./Jefferson Twp.) entered in relief to finish the contest in net. Bridgewater saw eight different players reach the scoring column in the win.
 
Wilkes makes its home debut Saturday hosting Immaculata University at 4:00 p.m. at Schmidt Stadium.