SALEM, Va. -- Nancy Kelly has recorded several big rebounding games during her four years of basketball competition for Virginia Wesleyan College, but her final rebound in Sunday's Old Dominion Athletic Conference title game was one of the most crucial caroms in her career.

Kelly (Phoenix, Md./Dulaney) snared an offensive rebound with nine seconds on the clock, drew a foul, and hit two pressure-packed free throws to help lift the Marlins to a thrilling 59-57 victory that gave Virginia Wesleyan its first ODAC championship in women's basketball.

VWC teams had advanced to the league's title game five times previously, including four under the director of current head coach Stephany Dunmyer, but had to settle for the runner-up finish each time...until Sunday.  With the ODAC title comes the automatic berth in the upcoming NCAA Division III championship tournament.  VWC (19-9), which will make its first NCAA appearance since 1989 and its fifth overall, will find out about its opponent and date of competition on Monday.

"I am so proud of this group," said Dunmyer. "We just kept battling, and to look back at the adversity that these players have overcome over the last two seasons just makes it that much more special. We believed and made enough plays to finally win our program's first ODAC championship! This championship is also for all of the VWC women's basketball alums who helped build our program. Their hard work helped set the tone and we have had some very deserving groups in the past as well."

Kelly's crucial rebound and eventual game-winning points followed a blocked layup attempt by Brittany Glasco (Fredericksburg/Massaponax). Kelly alertly pulled in the rebound and drew a foul with just nine seconds remaining in a game tied at 57-all.  She followed the big rebound with even bigger free throws, hitting both free throws to lift the Marlins into a 59-57 lead.

Lynchburg (19-9) possessed the ball for the final seconds, but could not find a shot against a VWC defense that pressured the ball as soon as it crossed midcourt.  The Hornets turned the ball over and senior Kerri-Leanne Taylor (Stockport, England/Pottstown, Pa. The Hill School) came up with it as the final buzzer sounded, setting off a VWC celebration at midcourt.

Glasco was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player after helping the Marlins to the title with 12 points, nine rebounds, three steals and two assists.  Senior Andrea Paphites (Virginia Beach/Princess Anne) was named to the All-Tournament team, after scoring eight points and pulling down six rebounds. Junior Kelly Jones (Ellicott City, Md./Mt. Hebron) led VWC with 15 points, including three triples.

Virginia Wesleyan opened up a tightly-contested game midway through the first half by outscoring the Hornets 12-4 to produce a 28-20 lead.  Paphites hit two triples in the run and Jones hit another.  Lynchburg battled back however, led by Chaney Forbush who scored seven points in the final 2:19 to take a 30-29 lead at halftime.

Lynchburg rode that momentum through the first nine minutes of the second half to open up a 40-33 lead, helped by five consecutive points from Charmaine Hairston. But, Virginia Wesleyan came back impressively, ignited by a Jones triple, a Taylor layup, and a three-point play from sophomore Crystal Strother (Accokeek, Md./Brandywine Gywnn Park), the latter tying the game at 41-all.

The teams traded the lead six times after that into the final minutes when Kelly hit two free throws to give Virginia Wesleyan a 57-55 advantage with 54 seconds on the clock. Shannon Allen scored on a layup to tie the game with 35 seconds remaining, before the Marlins took over in the final seconds.

Lynchburg's final totals included 22 points and 19 rebounds from Forbush, and 17 points from Hairston. Allen scored 14 points.

--AMDG--