FREDERICKSBURG, Va. -- Kala Guy put down the last kill of the fifth game on Friday to help Virginia Wesleyan College's volleyball Marlins wrap up a hard-fought 3-2 non-conference victory against the host Eagles of the University of Mary Washington.

UMW (5-4) opened with a 25-19 victory, before Virginia Wesleyan (12-2) held on for a 25-23 second game win.  The Marlins rode the momentum of that win to a 25-15 third game decision, but UMW came back to extend the match with a 25-22 fourth game decision.  The teams battled through a tight fifth game before Virginia Wesleyan posted a 15-12 match victory.

The victory was the ninth in a row for Virginia Wesleyan, which ties a program record set by the 2009 team.  It also gave VWC a 5-3 victory edge in the young series with UMW.

Guy (Fishersville/Wilson Memorial) led both teams with 19 kills. Taylor Allen (Bowie, Md./Bladensburg Elizabeth Seton) added 11 kills and recorded a game-high seven total blocks, including three solos.  Kerry Johnson (Richmond/J.T. Tucker) tied for the game lead with 18 digs and Mallory Slade (Burlington, N.C./Eastern Almanance) posted a game-high 33 assists.

Kayla Crawford (Richmond/Powhatan) led UMW with 12 kills and Ellen Smethurst (Charlottesville/Covenant) added 10.  Christine Tran (Oakton/Oakton) produced 18 digs, Laura Gomez (Charlottesville/Albemarle) led the Eagles with six total blocks, and Courtney Guengerich (Herdnon/Herndon) recorded 18 assists.

Virginia Wesleyan returns to competition quickly, playing on Saturday, Sept. 22, at Washington and Lee University in a doubleheader.  The Marlins face the host Generals in an Old Dominion Athletic Conference match starting at 12 p.m. and take on the Fighting Squirrels of Mary Baldwin College in a non-conference match starting at 2:15 p.m.

--AMDG--