VIRGINIA BEACH -- Two teams looking for two different things Saturday, but competing for the same outcome.

Randolph College's WildCats entered the Old Dominion Athletic Conference women's basketball game at the Jane P. Batten Student Center searching for a win that would give the program it's first 10-win season since 2007 when the school was known as Randolph-Macon Woman's College.

Virginia Wesleyan's host Marlins were looking for someone to step up to help alleviate the loss of leading scorer Brittany Glasco (Fredericksburg/Massaponax), who was sidelined with a concussion suffered against Bridgewater College.

It was a battle from start to finish, but Virginia Wesleyan got what it wanted in impressive fashion as rookie Crystal Strother (Accokeek, Md./Brandywine Gwynn Park) enjoyed a break-through effort, scoring a career-high 23 points to help lead the Marlins to a thrilling 70-68 victory.

Strother's 23 points topped her previous career-high as a Marlin with 12 points, scored two days earlier against Bridgewater. 

VWC's youngsters sparked the victory, as rookie Alexis Platt (Virginia Beach/Princess Anne) tallied 14 points, and sophomore Kelly Jones (Ellicott City, Md./Mt. Hebron) scored nine.  Jones led the Marlins at the charity stripes, hitting 6-of-8, Platt connected on 7-of-10 field goals, and Strother hit 8-of-14 fielders, including a game-high five triples. All three stepped it up in the second half when Strother netted 13 points, Platt eight, and Jones six.

Randolph (9-10, 3-7), enjoying its best season since 2007, stayed in contention to the end however, and owned a 45-38 lead with 14:29 remaining to be played in the second half.  Senior Emilee Dunton (Forest/Brookville) led the early second half effort with six points and sophomore Abigail Bullins (Asheboro, N.C./Asheboro) chipped in with four.

Virginia Wesleyan (13-6, 7-3) regrouped at that point and began a 21-7 scoring run with a pair of free throws by Jones.  Platt hit 3-of-4 shots in the run, which included a timely three-pointer each from sophomore Cassie Conley (New Market/Stonewall Jackson), Jones, and Strother, helping to push the Marlins into a 59-52 lead with 8:43 on the clock.

But, Randolph was not finished. The 'Cats received key scoring from Chelsea Tyler (Richmond/Henrico), junior Allie Druffel (Centreville/Westfield), and Dunton to tie the game at 61-all with 3:54 still remaining to be played.

Virginia Wesleyan never lost the lead though, as junior Kerri Taylor (Stockport, England/The Hill School, Pa.) found Strother open for her fourth triple of the game to return the Marlins to a three-point edge.  The teams traded baskets in the ensuing seconds, including a jumper by Tyler that pulled the WildCats within a 66-65 score.

Randolph would not get closer though, as Strother came down court, stopped, and drilled her fifth triple over the defenders to give VWC a 69-65 advantage.  She also hit a free throw with 11 seconds on the clock to help offset some late scoring by rookie Jacqueline Hockman (Manassas/Osbourn) to keep the WildCats close.

Randolph finished with five players in double-figure scoring, led by Bullins with 16 points, a total helped by four triples. Dunton and Druffel added 13 points each, junior Jensen Hoover (Woodstock/Central) finished with 11, and Tyler tallied 10.  Hoover hit 5-of-6 field goals and Druffel nailed 7-of-9.

Virginia Wesleyan connected on 10 triples overall, including two from Conley.  Randolph finished with six, including two from Dunton.  The Marlins also produced a 39-37 advantage in rebounding, led by Tassa with 10.  Druffel pulled down nine for Randolph.

Virginia Wesleyan competes again on Tuesday, Feb. 4, in ODAC action at Randolph-Macon College beginning at 7 p.m.

--AMDG--