VIRGINIA BEACH -- Cheers and smiles multiplied like wildfire when the final second ticked off the clock at the National Training Center, where Virginia Wesleyan College's field hockey team posted a 4-1 Old Dominion Athletic Conference victory over the Maroons of Roanoke College.

It was a victory that ended a string of 15 consecutive losses in a streak that included the last two games of the 2009 season.  A young Marlin team has been close to breaking that streak several times this season, only to see matters go the other way down the stretch.

That's all over now however, as four different Marlins found the back of the cage, as VWC made penalty corners work to its advantage.  VWC held a 9-5 advantage in corners and scored three goals on those plays.

Sophomore Evan Bunting (Poquoson, Va./Poquoson) put the Marlins on the board, scoring in the ninth minute from the middle of the circle following a corner injection from sophomore Amelia Goebel (Virginia Beach/Mercersburg, Pa.).

Roanoke came back to tie the game on a shot by Kelly Finn (Fairhaven, N.J.) in the 23rd minute, but VWC took the halftime lead in the 35th minute when Goebel and Bunting combined efforts on a corner again, this time with Goebel scoring the goal.

Virginia Wesleyan wasted little time in padding its lead after halftime as rookie Taylor Lober (Wilmington, Del./Concord) knocked the ball in on a hard shot into the left side with just 1:50 played.  The Marlins capped scoring in the 41st minute when rookie Courtney Copeland (Yorktown, Va./Tabb) ripped the ball into the left off a pass from Bunting.

Virginia Wesleyan finished with 14 shots, while Roanoke posted 17.  Rookie goalie Kirsten Olson (Springfield, Va./Lorton South County)recorded five saves for the Marlins.  Christina Schicilone (South Yarmouth, Mass./Nauset Regional) and Katherine Muhvich (Towson, Md./Towson) protected the goal for Roanoke.  Schicilone recorded four saves.

Virginia Wesleyan competes again on Friday, Oct. 22, hosting Sweet Briar College at the National Training Center in another ODAC contest.

--AMDG--