NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- There weren't any surprises about the rugged competition Virginia Wesleyan College's volleyball Marlins would face in the weekend's Christopher Newport University Invitational.

Marlins' head coach Andrea Hoover only wanted her Marlins to improve and be competitive doing it.  For the most part, that's what she saw.  VWC did not pick up a win in four matches, but the Marlins showed Hoover they could be competitive with very strong teams. Teams that combined for an incredible 109-23 record.

Virginia Wesleyan (19-11) took on two nationally ranked teams in back-to-back matches on Saturday and came through impressively.  The Marlins fell to No. 16 Cortland State University of New York 25-22, 25-21, 25-17 and to No. 17 Salisbury Unviersity 28-30, 25-16, 25-21, 25-17.  CSU improved to 31-4 with the win and Salisbury improved to 32-3.

Senior Kala Guy (Fishersville/Wilson Memorial) led the Marlins with 28 kills in the two matches, including 17 against Salisbury.  Senior Taylor Allen (Bowie, Md./Bladensburg Elizabeth Seton) added 12 kills, two solo blocks and two block assists, and senior Kerry Johnson (Richmond/J.R. Tucker) came through with 15 digs and a team-leading four aces.  Rookie Marin Crowder (Charlottesville/Crozet Western Albemarle) led the Marlins with 16 digs. Sophomore Mallory Slade (Burlington, N.C./Eastern Alamance) contributed with 38 assists.

Chelsea Glowacki (Poolesville, Md./Poolesville) led SU with 13 kills and Carley Todd (Greenlawn, N.Y./Harborfields) added 45 assists.

Against Cortland, Crowder led the Marlins again in digs with 10.  Allen added nine kills.  Sydney Hayward (Trumansburg, N.Y./Trumansburg) led CSU with 13 kills, Kayla Pollock (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) added 13 digs, and Kristen Guercio (Smithtown, N.Y./East) recorded 34 assists.

Virginia Wesleyan opened the tournament with a 3-1 loss to Averett University, 25-17, 25-12, 23-25, 15-19, despite 15 kills from Guy and 12 from Allen.  Crowder emerged with a team-leading 14 digs and Slade recorded 24 assists.  Sisters Sarah Sparks (Ruffin, N.C./Rockingham County) and Allison Sparks led Averett with 17 and 15 kills, respectively.  Nicole Barringer (Lands, N.C./South Rowan) recorded 43 assists.

The Marlins came back strong in their second match against Pennsylvania's Moravian College, but fell short, falling 3-2.  After dropping the first set 25-12, the Marlins rallied to win the next two, 25-23 and 25-16.  But, Moravian pulled out a 25-23 fourth set win and edged the Marlins 15-12 in the decider.

Allen recorded 19 kills for the Marlins, who received 35 assists from Slade and 16 digs from Crowder.  Samanatha Savite (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central) led Moravian with 20 kills.  Kelly Brown (Bethlehem, Pa./Catholic) recorded 52 assists and Jesse Krasley (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) finished with 31 digs.

Virginia Wesleyan competes again in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship tournament which begins Wednesday, Oct. 31, with quarterfinal action.  Pairings for the tournament are to be announced.

--AMDG--