TOWSON, Md. -- Lauren Davis and Nikki Salyersscored big goals for Virginia Wesleyan College midway through the second half Sunday to close within a goal of host Goucher College.

But, the Gophers came back with three straight goals to gain breathing room en route to a 16-14 non-conference victory.  Virginia Wesleyan (1-2) outscored the Gophers 3-1 in the final 6:35, but lost the battle with the clock.

Virginia Wesleyan scored first in the non-conference contest when Rachel Gratton (Stratham, N.H./Exeter) ripped the ball into the net off an assist from Natalie Belva (Colorado Springs, Colo./Liberty).  Goucher scored the next four goals to move in front and the Gophers maintained the lead thereafter, opening up an 8-4 halftime lead behind four scores by Hannah Khin (Portsmouth, N.H./Portsmouth).

Courtney Shelton (Prince Frederick, Md./Huntingtown) and Salyers (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) scored the first two goals of the second half to pull Virginia Wesleyan within an 8-6 score with 27:28 remaining to be played. 

Goucher came back to take a 12-9 lead on a score by Colleen Cole (Holliston, Mass./Northfield Mt. Hermon) with 21:37 on the clock, before Davis (Middleburg, Va./Mercersburg Academy, Pa.)and Salyers scored back-to-back goals within a two minute span to pull VWC within a 12-11 score.  The teams traded goals from that point on, until Goucher produced a three-goal run to open up a 15-11 lead with 7:27 remaining.

Virginia Wesleyan outscored the Gophers 3-1 after that to close the gap before the final buzzer. The Marlins outscored Goucher 10-8 in the second half overall.

Williams led VWC scoring with five goals and Shelton and Gratton scored three goals each.  Cole led Goucher with seven goals and Khin finished with five.

Goucher finished with a slight 33-31 edge in shots and VWC held the advantage in ground balls, 31-21.  Anna Kate Collier (Fairfax, Va./Robinson), Allison Buckley (Callaway, Md./Leonardtown) and Williams recorded five ground balls each.

Brittany MacKnew (Abingdon, Md./Bel Air)finished with 13 saves for the Marlins. Ashley Shaner (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove) produced 14 saves for Goucher.

Virginia Wesleyan competes again on Sunday, March 6, hosting Ohio Wesleyan University at 1 p.m. on Foster Field at the Trinder Center.

--AMDG--