VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia - The Virginia Wesleyan University women's basketball team defeated the Royals of Eastern Mennonite University 48-36 on Tuesday evening at the Jane P. Batten Student Center in Virginia Beach, Va. The Marlins move to 3-10 overall and 2-5 in ODAC competition while the Royals are now 1-10 and 0-5.

GAME INFORMATION
The win is the first for the Marlins of the New Year and gets the Marlins back on track heading into the back half of the season. 

INSIDE THE SCORE
The game began with Logan Carter getting the Marlins on the scoreboard with a jumper 37 seconds into the first quarter. EMU responded with a three-pointer to take the Royals only lead of the game. A pair of baskets for the Marlins gave the home team a three-point advantage, 6-3, however, the Royals tied the game on another three with 6:55 remaining. The remainder of the first quarter was all Virginia Wesleyan as the Marlins went on an 11-0 run to close out the quarter taking a 17-6 lead into the second 10 minutes of action.

VWU scored 13-points before the Royals got their first basket of the quarter at the 4:26 mark putting the score at 30-8 in VWU's favor. Both squads scored four points in the remaining four minutes and entered halftime with the score at 34-12.

The Marlins scored four of their five third-quarter points off of layups by Sierra Coleman in the opening three minutes of play. EMU outscored VWU 12-5 in the third quarter as the two teams entered the fourth with Virginia Wesleyan leading by 15 points, 39-24.

Eastern Mennonite just barely outscored VWU in the fourth quarter 12-9, but the Marlins first-half lead was too great for the visitors to overcome and gave the home team their first win of the new year as the Marlins held on to win 48-36. Jessica Jennings scored five of the nine points in the fourth quarter for VWU on a jumper and a three-pointer.

VIRGINIA WESLEYAN LEADERS
Virginia Wesleyan was led by Jessica Jennings with 18 points as she shot 7-of-14 and went 4-of-6 from behind the three-point arc. Mak McSweeney had a game-high 10 rebounds while Sabrina Jones led with four assists and three steals.

EASTERN MENNONITE LEADERS
The Royals were led by Emily McCombs with nine points and Jada Jackson was close behind with seven points of her own. Chloe Roach had a team-high eight rebounds for the Royals.

KEY MOMENT
The key moment of the game came in the opening half of action as the Marlins found themselves leading 34-12 at the halftime horn. The 22-point lead was too much for EMU to overcome as the Marlins earned their first win of 2020.

UP NEXT
Virginia Wesleyan hits the road for their next contest on Saturday, January 11, as the Marlins travel to Washington & Lee for a road ODAC match-up. The Generals and Marlins meet on the court for a 2 PM first tip.