ASHLAND, Va. -- Momentum bounced back and forth repeatedly Wednesday before finally settling with the host team as Randolph-Macon College's Yellow Jackets pulled out a 15-14 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) victory over the Virginia Wesleyan College Marlins.

Competition was intense from start-to-finish in a contest that included seven tie scores, the last at 13-all as VWC senior Nick Pappas (Edgewater, Md./South River) scored off an assist from rookie Jason Tutchon (Marietta, Ga./Lassister) with 8:16 remaining in the fourth quarter. His goal was the third in a span of three minutes for the Maarlins to wipe out a 13-10 deficit.

Jason Andrews (Hereford, Md./Hereford), who led Randolph-Macon throughout the game, scored 25 seconds after Pappas' game-tying goals and the Jackets held onto the lead the rest of the way. Nolan Clark (Annapolis, Md./St. Mary's) scored with 4:55 remaining to pad the R-MC lead to 15-13.  But, VWC junior Mike Moran (Woolwich, N.J./Kingsway Regional) fired the ball into the net 36 seconds later off an assist from sophomore Josh Currier (Peterborough, Ontario/Holy Name-Hill Academy) to pull VWC within one at 15-14.

Randolph-Macon won the face-off after the VWC goal and the host team was able to hold onto the ball to hold off the Marlins the rest of the way.

Pappas, who ranks No. 7 nationally in goals per game,  tied a season-high with six goals scored, raising his season total to 51, the fifth highest single-season total in VWC history.  He also increased his season total of points to 78, the second highest total in program history.

Currier, who ranks No. 2 nationally in points per game, added four goals and two assists, increasing his season point total to 91, the highest in Virginia Wesleyan history and only five shy of the ODAC single-season record.   His two assists raised his season total to 42, which ranks No. 2 among VWC's highest single-season marks.

Moran scored three goals and recorded an assist for the Marlins. Junior goalie Rory Finnegan (Lowell, Mass./Lowell) recorded 12 assists for VWC.

Moran and Pappas scored the first two goals of the game for VWC to post a 3-2 lead, but Randolph-Macon reeled off four straight goals to open up a 5-2 lead.  Virginia Wesleyan came back strong to outscore R-MC 6-2 to jump in front 8-7 with 8:54 remaining in the second quarter.  Pappas put the Marlins ahead with the goal scored off a Moran assist. 

Randolph-Macon came back to move in front 10-8, but Virginia Wesleyan answered again. Joe Papetti (Edgewater, Md./South River) and Pappas scored goals for the Marlins to create a 10-all tie in a game that was back-and-forth to the final horn.

Andrews led R-MC with nine goals.

Virginia Wesleyan closes the regular season on Saturday, April 26, hosting No. 10 ranked Lynchburg College at 7 p.m.

--AMDG--