Box Score VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The Virginia Wesleyan University women's basketball fell to the Royals of Eastern Mennonite University 55-47 on Wednesday afternoon at Yoder Arena in Harrisonburg, VA. 

INSIDE THE SCORE
Score: Virginia Wesleyan 47 - Eastern Mennonite 55
Records: Virginia Wesleyan 4-5, 1-4 | Eastern Mennonite 6-3, 2-2
Location: Yoder Arena | Harrisonburg, VA

HOW IT HAPPENED
It took three minutes before either team managed to get on the scoreboard as Sariya Monroe for the Marlins converted an old-fashioned three-point play after scoring a layup and free throw at the 6:56 mark. The Royals came back taking a one-point advantage, 4-3, but baskets from Monroe and Jada Norman gave the Marlins a 7-4 lead. EMU evened the score at seven all before Norman hit a three-pointer to put VWU up 10-7. The Marlins held a 10-9 lead going into the second quarter. 

The Royals started the second quarter by scoring five quick points to take a 14-10 lead. VWU came back to even things up courtesy of baskets from Jordan Evans and Nat Collier as the clock ticked under five minutes before halftime. The two squads both collected two more baskets before heading into the break knotted up at 18 all. 

Eastern Mennonite opened the third quarter with a five-point run, 23-18, before VWU answered with six consecutive points taking a 24-23 lead. EMU took a 27-24 lead before VWU knotted the score at 27 all on an old-fashioned three-point play by Terina Dandridge 5:49 on the clock. The Royals closed out the third quarter on a 10-4 run taking a 37-31 lead into the final quarter. 

The Royals opened up a ten-point lead near the seven-minute mark on the clock, and led by as many as 14 points, 50-36, before the Marlins used the second half of the fourth quarter to cut the lead to eight points as the final score sat at 55-47.

KEY STATS
The Marlins were led by sophomore Nat Collier who scored 10 points while Jada Norman added nine points. Sariya Monroe and Asante Brown each tallied eight points. Sydnee Washington tallied seven rebounds and three steals to lead the team.

Up Next
The Virginia Wesleyan University women's basketball team returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 10, when they return to Virginia Beach, VA to host the Maroons of Roanoke College. The tip-off is set for 2 PM.