Marlins’ Late Surge Earns Spot in Championship

Second Straight Trip to ODAC Finals on Tap for VWC

March 1, 2008  -  Box Score

 

SALEM, Va. --- Virginia Wesleyan College needed some late minute heroics to get by Roanoke College, but the Marlins will be making their second straight trip to the ODAC Championship following a 62-59 win over the Maroons on Saturday afternoon.  VWC, now 22-5, awaits the winner of Randolph-Macon College and Bridgewater College in Sunday’s championship game.  Roanoke bows out with a 16-11 overall record.

 

Tied at the half thanks to a coast-to-coast lay-up by RC’s Torri Bridge as time expired, Roanoke jumped out to a seven point lead two minutes into the second frame.  VWC worked it down to a one-point game on two occasions, the latter at the 12:29 mark.

 

The two squads jockeyed the lead between each other several times over the next few minutes.  Chelsey Barret hit the third of her three makes from beyond the arc to give the Marlins a four-point edge with 5:23 to play, but Roanoke responded with a lay-up by Jordan Gholson and Bridge’s third triple to retake the lead, 57-56, with 2:27 to go.

 

The first of two foul shots by Heather Phillips tied the score for the 10th time at 57-57.  She converted the second toss to nudge VWC ahead by one.  Two more free throws from Phillips and a pair from Taylor Lowe sandwiched a jumper by RC’s Erin Hanson to set up the game’s final sequence with 0:20 on the clock and VWC ahead 62-59.

 

Hanson triggered a three-pointer that drew iron and went out of bounds off a Marlin to give Roanoke one more chance to tie with 0:09 to play.  Bridge put up a three-pointer off the in-bounds pass, but Phillips got a piece to send it awry.  The Maroons collected the loose ball, but Lindsay Skaff’s three-pointer as time expired fell harmlessly to the floor to secure VWC’s win.

 

Lowe led all-scorers and three Marlins in double figures with 20 points and five rebounds.  Phillips added 16 points and 10 rebounds for her ninth double-double of the season.  Barrett chipped in 13 points and five assists.

 

Bridge and Hanson led Roanoke with 15 points apiece.  Bridge also collected six rebounds while Hanson added four boards and three assists.

 

Virginia Wesleyan will play in the ODAC Women’s Basketball Championship on Sunday, March 2.  Game time is set for 1:00 p.m. at the Salem Civic Center.