VIRGINIA BEACH -- After a handful of scoring opportunities in the first half came up short, the Virginia Wesleyan College women's soccer team made sure the same thing did not happen in the second half of Tuesday's Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) soccer game against the Yellow Jackets of Randolph-Macon College.

The host Marlins scored on their first shot of the second half and went on to post a 2-0 victory on Foster Field at the Trinder Center in the annual Pink Night game.

Sophomore Kaitlyn Clunan (Virginia Beach/Bayside) headed the ball from about 10 yards out into the middle of the goal just 43 seconds into the second half to give Virginia Wesleyan a 1-0 lead lead. She was assisted by sophomore Kerry Knauss (Frederick, Md./Governor Thomas Johnson). Clunan's season goal total hit 10, marking her as only the fourth VWC sophomore to score double-digit goals in a season.

The Marlins made it a 2-0 lead in the 75th minute when Emily Sheridan (Glassboro, N.J./Glassboro) knocked the ball from five yards out, set up by a strong cross-field pass fromRebecca Staylor (Virginia Beach/Floyd E. Kellam).  The goal was the second of the season for Sheridan.

Virginia Wesleyan's victory ended a four-way tie for fourth place in the league standings, pushing the Marlins in front of Eastern Mennonite University, Bridgewater College, and Roanoke College.  VWC improves to 5-3 in the ODAC, and to 8-4-2 overall, while Randolph-Macon falls to 3-6 in the league and 5-9 overall.  The victory was VWC's 14th straight over R-MC in the series between the schools.

The Marlins dominated ball control from start to finish, maintaining constant pressure on the Yellow Jackets' defense.  VWC outshot the Jackets 15-1 in the second half and finished with a 33-6 advantage in shots overall.  Sophomores Jasmine Dao (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora), Kristen Cherry (Raleigh, N.C./Needham B. Broughton), and  Kaitlyn Clunan (Virginia Beach/Bayside)and rookie Sam Small (Walkersville, Md./Walkersville)were among the Marlins who helped keep the ball moving towards the R-MC goal.  One VWC shot bounce off the right post and three others were denied by R-MC field players who scrambled inside the goal to help prevent any scoring.

R-MC's six shots were all from long range, as Virginia Wesleyan's defense prevented the Jackets from getting close to the goal.  VWC goalie Megan Gerhart (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn) recorded three saves.

R-MC goalie Elizabeth Blanco (Ashburn/Stone Bridge) recorded 14 saves overall. Clunanrecorded seven shots for Virginia Wesleyan, Staylor finished with six, and Mack recorded four.

In addition to the advantage in shots, VWC also recorded the edge in corner kicsk, 8-1.

Virginia Wesleyan returns to ODAC action on Friday, Oct. 18, in Winchester, Virginia, taking on Shenandoah University's Hornets (8-5-1, 6-1-1) at 7 p.m.

--AMDG--