LYNCHBURG, Va. - The Virginia Wesleyan University women's volleyball team defeated the Hornets from the University of Lynchburg in straight sets on Wednesday evening in ODAC action in Lynchburg, VA. With the win, the Marlins maintain sole possession of first in the ODAC Volleyball standings.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: Virginia Wesleyan 3 - Lynchburg 0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-21)
Records: Virginia Wesleyan 20-5, 11-1 | Lynchburg 13-11, 5-5
Location: Lynchburg, VA

MATCH RECAP
The Hornets started the first set opening with a 4-1 run and quickly took a 7-3 lead. A six-point run for Virginia Wesleyan put the visitors ahead 9-7 as Taylor Paquette recorded four kills in the rally. Lynchburg knotted the score at nine all which began a run of five points each where the teams tied and traded the lead four times over the ten point spread. VWU took a two-point lead, 16-14 after two kills fell in their favor, one each from Paquette and Emma Claytor, that gave the Marlins the boost they needed to close out the opening set on a 9-4 run winning the opening game 25-18.

VWU carried the momentum from set one into set two starting the game on a 4-0 run. The Marlins continued to pull ahead with the score sitting at 11-5 following a Hornet attacking error. Virginia Wesleyan managed to hold a five-point advantage over Lynchburg, 15-10, before taking off on a 10-5 rally to win the second set 25-15. 

The teams started the third set on a more even note as the score sat even at 3-3. Four consecutive kills, two from Paquette, and one each from Abigail Mahoney and Abbey Clayton, put the Marlins ahead 7-3. VWU continued to pull ahead opening up a seven-point lead, 12-5, after scoring points off three kills, an Abbey Clayton aces and a Hornet error. Virginia Wesleyan managed to hold Lynchburg at bay throughout the middle of the set, lead 20-12, before the Hornets went on an 8-2 rally pulling withing two points, trailing 22-20. Both teams scored a point that put the score at 23-21 and the Marlins put the game to bed as Abigail Mahoney put down back to back kills to give the Marlins a 25-21 set three win and the match in straight sets. 

KEY STATS

• The Marlins were led by senior Taylor Paquette with 14 kills on the night, while Abigail Mahoney tallied nine and Morgan Ludovici put down eight.
• The two setters, Haley Sutton and Salena Jones combined for 39 assists and six services aces with Sutton collecting 20 assists and Jones 19. Both players scored three service aces apiece.
• Leading the back line was Ludovici with nine digs and Abbey Clayton right on her heels with eight. Sutton added six digs to round out the top three. 

UP NEXT
Virginia Wesleyan is back in action on Saturday when they hit the road for a trip to Baltimore, MD, to compete in the Johns Hopkins tri-match on Oct. 29. The Marlins will play the No. 6 Violets of NYU at 2:30 PM followed by a match against the host Blue Jays at 5 PM.