VIRGINIA BEACH -- One of the best efforts of the season came at the right time for the Virginia Wesleyan College volleyball team.

The Marlins battled Roanoke College's Marlins through five sets on Saturday at the Jane P. Batten Center and posted a thrilling 3-2 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) victory.  The win improved VWC to 5-2 in the league, and dropped Roanoke to 5-2. The win also snapped a five-match Roanoke winning streak.

Rookie Tiffany Barrett (Stafford/North Stafford)spiked the ball to give Virginia Wesleyan (12-9) the match-ending point in the fifth set that included six lead changes. The sixth change favored VWC at 12-11 on a kill by Rosalind Ludovici (Virginia Beach/First Colonial).  The Marlins scored four straight points to take a 14-11 lead, before Roanoke (15-7) pulled within a 14-13 score on an Allison White (Galax/Galax) kill and a VWC error.  But, the match ended on the next play when Barrett put down her fifth kill of the match.

Roanoke started off with a 25-17 decision, but Virginia Wesleyan answered with 25-17 and 25-11 wins.  The Maroons stayed in the competition with a 25-16 win to force the fifth and final set which favored Virginia Wesleyan, 15-13.

Samantha Klosterman (Roanoke/Hidden Valley), Mackenzie Tyree (Daleville/Lord Botetourt), and Mackenzie Allen (Zuni/Windsor) were among the Maroons who helped Roanoke to a 5-0 start in the first set. VWC came back to close within a 16-11 score, but Roanoke pushed out to a 24-14 lead en route to the win.

In the second set it was Virginia Wesleyan aking the fast start with a 5-0 lead behind the play of Tempe Martens (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park), Kelsey Caviston (Lanexa/Warhill), and Ludovici. An ace by Alex Lambert (Alexandria/Hayfield) gave VWC a 20-11 lead, before White, Allen, and Klosterman helped Roanoke spark a brief rally that fell short.

Virginia Wesleyan rode the momentum of the win into the third set and opened up a 7-1 lead helped by timely kills by Lambert and Caviston. Roanoke came back however, pulling within a point of the lead several times late in the set. VWC produced crucial points leading 20-19 though, as Lambert and Caviston helped the Marlins to open up a 23-19 lead. An Allen kill pulled Roanoke made it a 23-20 score, but VWC produced the points to take the set and a 2-1 lead in the match.

Set four belonged to Roanoke however, as the Maroons opened up a 3-0 lead, extended it to 10-3, and led 17-9 late in the set, helped by the play of Carrie Heldreth (Daleville/Lord Botetourt) and Tyree.

Caviston produced a season-high 15 kills for Virginia Wesleyan, and Lambert finished with 14. Kirstin Sessoms (Virginia Beach/Bayside) came through with a career-high 33 assists and Marin Crowder (Charlottesville/Crozet Western Albemarle) recorded her eight match with 20+ digs, finishing with a match-leading 22. The Marlins produced eight aces, led by Martens with a match-high four.

Klostermann led Roanoke with 13 kills, followed by Sarah Long (Midlothian/Midlothian) with 10. Tyree led the Maroons with 19 digs.

Virginia Wesleyan competes again on Wednesday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m. in ODAC competition at Lynchburg College.

--AMDG--