LYNCHBURG, Va.- The Randolph women's basketball team returned to their home court for the first time this month as they hosted Bridgewater in an ODAC game on Saturday afternoon. Defense ruled the day for the WildCats as they defeated the Eagles 59-46.

The win improves Randolph's record to 7-1 overall and 3-0 in the conference. It is just the fourth win in program history for the 'Cats over the Eagles and the first since February of 2017, breaking a five-game losing streak to BC in the process. Bridgewater falls to 3-4 overall and 2-1 in ODAC play.

Both teams played aggressive defense in the first quarter as there was just a total of 18 points scored. The WildCats got out to a 7-2 lead and led 10-8 at the completion of the quarter. The Eagles committed 13 turnovers in the period to Randolph's eight.

The action started to pick up in the second quarter. The Eagles tied the game up at 10-10 to begin the period but the WildCats used a 14-6 run to go ahead 25-16 with 5:48 remaining in the quarter. The Randolph lead grew to 11 points, 31-20, with 2:41 left in the quarter with a layup by Bridgewater's Regan Maynard cutting the WildCat advantage to 31-22 at the break.

Bridgewater sliced the Randolph lead to eight points, 33-25, at the 8:31 mark of the third quarter. The WildCats went on a huge 18-4 run to increase their lead to the biggest of the afternoon, 21 points, with 1:36 to play in the frame. Randolph led 54-38 going into the final quarter of play.

The fourth quarter was the lowest scoring period of the game with the Eagles outscoring the WildCats 8-5. Both teams went over five minutes of game time without a basket before Bridgewater recorded the first field goal with 4:51 remaining in regulation. The 'Cats did not get their first basket until 1:31 remaining to play but by that time, the Randolph lead was 13 points, 57-44. The WIldCat defense held Bridgewater to just three baskets in the fourth quarter.

Randolph came away with 20 steals overall and forced 35 Bridgewater turnovers. The WildCats used those turnovers to score 25 points compared to 14 scored by the Eagles off 26 Randolph miscues.

"Great team win today and I'm so proud of our ladies," said head coach Steve Lanpher after the game.  "It wasn't the cleanest game offensively especially in the fourth quarter but our defensive intensity was outstanding thus allowing us the victory.  It was a total team effort.  Defensively, we were so active with Kylie, Yanessa,  Cierra and Teniyah as we forced a season high 35 turnovers."

The WildCats shot 21-of-53 (39.6%) from the floor and 4-of-14 (28.6%) from behind the three-point arc. Bridgewater was 17-of-51 (33.3%) in overall shooting and was 4-of-18 (22.2%) in three-point attempts.

Bridgewater outrebounded Randolph 43-34. The Eagles outscored the WildCats 14-10 in second chance points while Randolph outscored BC 22-9 in bench points, 12-2 in fast break points, and 24-22 in points in the paint.

Cierra Cook (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) led the WIldCats and all scorers with 11 points. She also came up with three steals and two assists. Teniyah Crenshaw-Patterson (Newport News, Va./Heritage) and Alexis Kiser (Floyd, Va./Floyd County HS) both added 10 points each. Crenshaw-Patterson added three steals and four rebounds. Simone Brown (Norfolk, Va./Lake Taylor) led in rebounds with eight to go with four points and two assists. Kylie Stark (Lynchburg, Va./Brookville) added nine points, seven steals, six rebounds, and three assists. Yanessa Cabrera's (Manassas, Va./Stonewall Jackson) final line was seven points, five steals, four assists, and four rebounds.

The WildCats make the short trip across town on Wednesday as they face cross-city rival Lynchburg. Game time will be at 7:00 p.m.