ASHLAND, Va. -- The Methodist women's basketball team opened the 2017-18 season with a 77-48 loss to Bridgewater on Friday evening on the first day of the Randolph-Macon Tip-Off Classic sponsored by Riesbeck Contracting.
 
Christian Sanders led the Monarchs (0-1) with 13 points, while Kadie Snipes and Kodi Centry chipped in 11 and 10, respectively. Playing in her first collegiate game, Snipes hit on 3 of 4 three-point field goal attempts and shot 4 of 6 overall, while Centry was 4 of 7 shooting and pulled down a team-best seven rebounds.
 
Bridgewater (1-1) was led by Kaitlyn Lehan's double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds. She shot 7 of 9 from the floor and 7 of 9 from the free throw line as well. Sydni Carey and Briana Moore each scored 10 points for the Eagles, who shot 45.0 percent (27-60) as a team, and turned the ball over just 16 times.
 
The Eagles, who never trailed in the contest, opened the game on a 9-2 run over the first 1:37, before MU came back to make the score 10-9 in favor of BC on a pair of free throws by Amber Scott at the 5:08 mark of the first quarter. Bridgewater answered with a 10-1 run to assume a 20-10 lead on a layup by Nina Novosel with 2:06 on the clock en route to a 26-14 lead after one.
 
In the second quarter, the Monarchs pulled as close as eight points (28-20) on a Centry layup with 6:16 to play but could get no closer as BC took a 40-28 lead at recess. Methodist got as close as 10 points in the third quarter, but BC sealed the game by outscoring MU 19-6 over the game's final 10 minutes.
 
Methodist shot 28.8 percent (15-52) as a team, and was out rebounded, 43-35.
 
The Monarchs will play the host Yellow Jackets on Saturday afternoon beginning at 4 pm.