VIRGINIA BEACH -- Randolph-Macon College's league-leading Yellow Jackets made the most of the few offensive opportunities allowed in the second half of Sunday's Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) game at Virginia Wesleyan College and posted a thrilling 5-3 victory.

After the teams battled to a 2-2 halftime deadlock, R-MC (6-5, 4-0) jumped in front 3:27 into the second half on a goal by Carrie Jacobs (Orange/Orange County), assisted by Catherine Pricone (Arlington/Washington-Lee). 

It was a goal that gave the Jackets a 3-2 lead, but a goal that also ignited a fire in the Marlins (6-4, 2-3), who dominated the remainder of the game.  The Marlins out-shot the Jackets 8-7 and recorded a 9-3 advantage in penalty corners, all in the second half.  An outstanding effort gave VWC all the scoring attempts it needed, but the Marlins directed just one shot into the cage.

That came in the 66th minute when rookie Caitlyn Hogge (Newport News/Warwick) knocked the ball in on the right, set up by an assist from Taylor Lober (Wilmington, Del./Concord).  The goal pulled VWC within a 4-3 score, which was the closest the Marlins could get the rest of the way.

One of those few trips downfield for the Jackets in the half resulted in a padding goal for R-MC, as Jacobs connected from the left side win the waning seconds.

Randolph-Macon led 2-0 early, as Rachel Gardner (Rapidan/Orange County) scored at the 10:02 mark and Olivia Newman (Orange/Orange County) tallied off a penalty corner in the 20th minute, assisted by Jacobs.

Virginia Wesleyan came back strong however, cutting into the R-MC lead in the 28th minute when rookie Taylor Marshall (Marion, Md./Crisfield Academy) scored during a scramble in the right corner. Senior Nikki Cuthbert (Morrisville, Pa./Fairless Hills Pennsbury) assisted on the play.

Six minutes later the Marlins tied the game when Lober ripped a hard shot from the right side. Skyler Weaver (Frederick, Md./Huntingtown) assisted on the score.

Randolph-Macon finished with a 15-12 edge in shots, led by Jacobs with four shots and three goals. Lober recorded three shots for VWC.

VWC posted a 13-8 advantage in penalty corners, helped by the 9-3 difference in the second half.

Virginia Wesleyan used two goalies, with Lindsay Baker (Havertown, Pa./Haverford) starting and Kirsten Olson (Springfield/Lorton South County) finishing. Baker recorded two saves in 35 minutes and Olson had three saves in 35 minutes in the second half. Steph Talley (Bordentown, N.J./Bordentown) recorded six saves for R-MC.

VWC returns to competition on Saturday, Oct. 12, in ODAC action at Shenandoah University beginning at 4 p.m.

--AMDG--