SALISBURY, Md. -- Close just wasn't good enough Saturday for Virginia Wesleyan College's volleyball team in a non-conference match against the host Sea Gulls of Salisbury University, ranked No. 25 nationally.

The Marlins (9-6) played the Gulls (17-2) within a point midway through the first game, owned the lead at one point in the second game and played within a point late in the third game, but could not produce the scoring run to keep things going.  Salisbury pulled out 25-18, 25-20 and 25-18 decisions for the win.

VWC tied the first game at 11, 12, 13 and 14 to keep the pressure on the host team, before Tam Weems (Upper Marlboro, Md./Bishop McNamara) and Katie Stouffer (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) helped push Salisbury into an 18-14 lead. VWC trailed just 20-17 later in the game, but Julie Poston took over for SU to take her team to the game win.

Madelyn McMurry (Springfield/West Springfield), Michaela Holbooks (Brookneal/Naruna William Campbell) and Kelsey Caviston (Lanexa/Warhill) helped take Virginia Wesleyan to a 13-10 lead in the second game. But, Salisbury rallied to push into a 16-14 lead.  Virginia Wesleyan stayed close behind key plays by Caviston and McMurray and trailed just 22-20. But, two Marlin errors helped the host team close out the win.

Salisbury jumped out to an 8-4 lead in the third game and Virginia Wesleyan came back to pull within a 17-16 score on an Alex Lambert (Alexandria/Hayfield) kill, forcing a Salisbury timeout.  When the Gulls returned to the court the reeled off six straight points to open up a 23-16 lead and controlled matters the rest of the way.

Numbers were down for Virginia Wesleyan, reflected in kill totals.  VWC recorded only 20 kills, led b Lambert with five.  Amber Daglian (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) led the team with 10 assists and Kirsten Sessoms (Virginia Beach/Bayside) topped the team in digs with six.

Stouffer paced Salisbury with 13 kills and Poston finished with 12. Kacey Franz produced 24 assists and Michelle Meehan finished with 13 digs.

Virginia Wesleyan competes again on Tuesday, October 1, at Randolph College in Old Dominion Athletic Conference competition beginning at 7 p.m.

--AMDG--