LYNCHBURG, Va. -- Rookie Lauren Schularripped the ball from long distance Wednesday to give Virginia Wesleyan College's soccer Marlins a lead they never lost in a 3-1 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) victory at Randolph College.

Shular (Fairfield, Ohio/Fairfield) scored from about 25 yards out, finishing off a cross from junior Kristen Cherry(Raleigh, N.C./Needham B. Broughton)in the fourth minute of play.  The score remained 1-0 for the Marlins (8-4-2, 6-1) until early in the second half when Randolph (4-8, 1-6) tied the game on a goal by Brittany Hammons (Newport News/Grafton) seven minutes into the competition.

Junior Allie Ketzler (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central) ended the tie with a short shot into the corner in the 69th minute.  Annie Hartman(Leesburg/Tuscarora) assisted on the play.

Three mintues later the Marlins owned a 3-1 lead after senior Marta Deptula(Haskell, N.J./Paramus Catholic) put the ball into the net from 18 yards out.

VWC dominated the game offensively, producing 33 shots, while Randolph managed only seven.  The Marlins also recorded an 8-3 advantage in corner kicks.

Randolph goalie Quinn-Lynn Bates (Culpeper, Va./Culpeper County) finished with 12 saves for the host WildCats.  Megan Gerhart(Lansdale, Pa./North Penn) recorded four saves for Virginia Wesleyan in 79 minutes guarding the goal before Tiffany Lennon(Carrollton/Smithfield) came in to finish.  

VWC competes again on Saturday, Oct. 11, at 11 a.m. in Lexington, Va. against undefeated Washington and Lee University.

--AMDG--