VWC First into Women’s Semifinals

Marlins Run Away from Wasps in Second Half

February 28, 2008  -  Box Score

SALEM, Va. --- Virginia Wesleyan College made good on its first game as a top seed in the ODAC Women’s Basketball Tournament, running past Emory & Henry College into the semifinals with a 89-69 win in Salem, Virginia.  The Marlins, now 21-5 on the season, await the winner of #4 Roanoke College and #5 Lynchburg College.  The Wasps bow out with a 9-17 overall record.

Heather Phillips paced the Marlins with 19 points to go with nine rebounds.  Tonia Jones added 13 points and five assists while Andrea Ushinski chipped in 11 points including a 3-for-4 showing from beyond the arc. 

E&H was held to 38.5-percent shooting, but did connect on 9-of-19 three-point field goals.  Sarah Petty led all scorers with 20 points.  Alex Lyons added 19 points and eight rebounds to the effort.

Experience may have had a little to do with the outcome as well.  The Wasps, who have no junior or seniors on their roster, committed 16 turnovers against only seven from the Marlins.

Following a slow start that saw them down 9-1 a little more than three minutes into the game, the Marlins regrouped to even the score and eventually go into the half with a 13-point advantage.  Virginia Wesleyan opened the second half with a 9-0 run to move out a 55-33 lead with 16:55 showing on the clock.

The lead eventually grew to 28 points with 13:46 to play.  E&H made an effort to cut into the VWC lead, but the Marlins had an answer for nearly every Wasp bucket to maintain its 20-plus point cushion for the majority of the final minutes of action.

Virginia Wesleyan will return to the Salem Civic Center court on Saturday, March 1.  Game time for the first semifinal is set for 1:00 p.m.