ASHLAND, Va. -- When Virginia Wesleyan College rookie Naeemah Morris scored on a layup with 1:05 remaining in Tuesday's women's basketball game at Randolph-Macon College, the final outcome was still very much up in the air.

Morris (Richmond/Douglas S. Freeman) scored off an assist from junior Kelly Jones (Ellicott City, Md./Mt. Hebron) to make it a 75-72 game, as the visiting Marlins extended a 21-11 rally that nearly wiped out all of 13-point Yellow Jacket lead on the R-MC court.

But, the Jackets emerged with crucial points in the final 40 seconds to outscored VWC 5-2 en route to posting an 80-74 Old Dominion Athletic Conference victory. While R-MC improved to 4-1 in the league and 11-2 overall, VWC fell to 3-2 in the ODAC and to 9-5 overall.

Senior Andrea Paphites (Virginia Beach/Princess Anne) was among the catalysts in Virginia Wesleyan's impressive second half rally as she scored eight points in the final minutes to help the Marlins whittle away the R-MC advantage.  Morris was also key in the rally, finishing with five points.

Virginia Wesleyan led throughout the first seven minutes of the game, before a triple by Sarah Parsons put R-MC in front.  Senior Brittany Glasco (Fredericksburg/Massaponax) scoredon a layup to return the lead to VWC at 17-16 with 7:33 remaining to be played in the first half, but another triple seconds later, this one from Hannah Livermon, put the Yellow Jackets back in front for the remainder of the half.  R-MC led 34-27 at halftime.

Randoph-Macon extended its lead to 42-29 in the first three minutes of the first half, but could not make it stick.  Virginia Wesleyan came back strong with key scoring from Crystal Strother (Accokeek, Md./Brandywine), Cassie Conley (Newmarket/Stonewall Jackson), and Glasco to pull within three points at 49-46 with 11:55 on the clock.

That rally stopped there however, as Randolph-Macon used an 8-0 run to push back out to a double-digit lead and opened up a 62-49 lead with 8:33 remaining to be played.  The Jackets led 64-51 when Virginia Wesleyan ignited its final rally that just fell short down the stretch.

VWC's efforts were hampered by a frigid night from behind the arc.  The Marlins attempted 17 triples, but connected on just one overall.  R-MC hit five triples in 16 attempts.  Virginia Wesleyan did fare well from the charity stripes though, hitting 21-of-24 attempts, led by a 6-of-6 showing by Glasco.

Glasco led VWC scoring overall with 18 points, followed by Paphites with 16 and Nancy Kelly (Phoenix, Md./Dulaney) with nine. Morris and Conley added seven points each. VWC was led on the backboards with 10 rebounds.

Parsons and Livermon scored 22 points each to lead R-MC, which also received 18 points from Katie Anderson. Anderson led all rebounders with 14.

Virginia Wesleyan returns to competition on Saturday, Jan. 17, hosting Roanoke College in ODAC action beginning at 2 p.m.

--AMDG--