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Marlins
Defeat Quakers, Earn Spot in Semifinals
Pressure Defense, Shooting Key in Victory
February 23, 2007
Box Score
SALEM, Va. --- Virginia Wesleyan College became the third
squad to make through to the Old Dominion Athletic
Conference (ODAC) Women’s Basketball Championship
semifinals, defeating Guilford College 75-49. The Marlins
(20-6) move on to play the winner of Washington & Lee
University and Eastern Mennonite University in the second
semifinal on Saturday. The Quakers bow out with a 10-16
overall record.
Virginia
Wesleyan’s full-court press proved problems for the Quakers,
causing short shot clocks for half-court sets and some
ill-advised passes. The Marlins built up a 32-15 advantage
with a little over seven minutes to go in the first half.
Guilford responded quickly, cutting its deficit down to six
points with 3:02 on the clock. The margin would hover in
that range through the remainder of the period with VWC
going into the break up 37-31.
The
Marlins’ turned up their defense another notch in the final
20 minutes, holding Guilford to 18.8-percent shooting from
the field. Normally a strength of the squad, the Quakers’
long-distance shooting played against them as they missed
all 15 of their attempts from three-point range.
“I thought
our kids did a great job in the second half,” explained
Virginia Wesleyan head coach Stephany Dunmyer. “Especially
defensively, making the adjustments we talked about at
half-time.”
VWC senior
Nicole Thurston led all scorers with 22 points on 9-of-10
shooting from the field. She opened the contest hitting her
first six shots of the game. Junior Heather Phillips
chipped in 11 points and four rebounds. Junior Chelsey
Barrrett dished out five assists.
Freshman
Alexa Williams led Guilford with 11 points and five boards.
Sophomore Shevon Hackett dropped in seven points and
collected six rebounds.
Roanoke will play Randolph-Macon College in the first women’s
semifinal on Saturday, February 23. Game time is set for
6:00 p.m. in the Salem Civic Center.
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