ROANOKE, Va. -- Virginia Wesleyan College's field hockey team pulled out of scoreless start to dominate offensively in the second half of Sunday's Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) contest at Sweet Briar College en route to posting a 5-0 victory over the host Vixens.

The Marlins out-shot the Vixens 13-5 in the second half and scored three goals in a span of eight minutes to break open the game. Nikki Cuthbert (Morrisville, Pa./Fairless Hills Pennsbury) posted the first score of the game in the 37th minute, Kelly Mullahy (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford) gave the Marlins a 2-0 lead in the 40th minute, and Jillian Gorman (Nassawadox/Eastville Northampton) made it a 3-0 VWC advantage in the 45th minute.  Rookie Mackenzie Raines (Fredericksburg/Massaponax) assisted on the first goal and senior Taylor Lober (Wilmington, Del./Concord) did the same on the third goal.

Virginia Wesleyan (6-2, 2-1) capped the win with a pair of goals in just 37 seconds later in the game. Cuthbert scored her second goal of the game at 55:17 and Skylar Weaver (Frederick, Md./Huntingtown) scored of a Lober assist at the 55:54 mark.

VWC finished with a 20-6 advantage in shots and a 14-4 advantage in penalty corners.

Lindsay Baker (Havertown, Pa./Haverford)guarded the VWC goal for 42:54 and Kirsten Olson (Springfield/Lorton South County) for 27:06. Olson recorded three saves. Skylar Rowan (Knoxville, Tenn./Webb) recorded 11 saves for Sweet Briar (1-7, 0-2).

Virginia Wesleyan competes again on Saturday, Oct. 5, and Sunday, Oct. 6, with a pair of ODAC contests on the home field.  The Marlins host Bridgewater at noon on Saturday and Randolph-Macon College at 3 p.m. on Sunday.

--AMDG--