VIRGINIA BEACH -- Call it what you like ... a cold spell, a frigid streak, a visit from Mr. Frost, an icy session ... whatever it was definitely scoring stopped Tuesday for Virginia Wesleyan College's women's basketball team in a 64-46 loss to Randolph-Macon College.

When junior Kristen Blalock (Suffolk, Va./Portsmouth Christian) knocked down a jumper with 14:02 remaining in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference game, it pulled the Marlins within a 38-35 score on the Donald M. Forsyth Court at the Jane P. Batten Center. 

The Marlins were still very much in the contest.

Fast forward to 4:27 when sophomore Kerry Johnson (Richmond, Va./J.R. Tucker)connected on a layup off an assist from Blalock.  It put the Marlins back on the scoreboard, but only after 16 consecutive missed shots after Blalock's jumper. 

While the Marlins were missing, including numerous shots that ringed the rim and fell off, Randolph-Macon (8-4, 6-1) did nothing special to pull away, but just took advantage of VWC's long scoring drought.  The Yellow Jackets' 38-35 lead expanded to 57-39 before Johnson's field goal fell through for the Marlins.

That decisive cold spell ended what had been an entertaining game, with both teams owning the lead at some point in the first half.  VWC led 21-15 with 6:21 remaining in the half, before scoring from Jillian Asay (Chesterfield, N.J./North Burlington County) and Jordan Cantrell (Washington, N.C./Washington) sparked a Macon run.  The Jackets ignited a 12-0 run to forge ahead in the final minutes. Maggie Roy (Richmond, Va./Mills Godwin) hit a triple to give R-MC a 32-25 spread with 31 seconds on the clock, but Virginia Wesleyan came back to answer with a three at the buzzer by Beth Ann Boyce (Colonial Heights, Va./Colonial Heights) to cut the Jackets' halftime lead to 32-28.

R-MC came back in the second half to rebuild its lead to eight, led by Taylor Wieczorek (Grasonville, Md./Severn), but Virginia Wesleyan responded impressively.  Blalock led the effort, scoring five consecutive points to pull the Marlins with a 38-35 score.

VWC's scoring freeze began shortly thereafter.

Blalock finished with 15 points and eight rebounds for VWC, while Johnson added 10 points and eight rebounds.  The Marlins launched 23 triples, but connected on only four, and turned the ball over 21 times.

Roy finished with 16 points for R-MC, and Wieczorek added 12 points and 12 rebounds.  The Jackets out-rebounded the Marlins 57-44, but also turned the ball over 21 times.

Virginia Wesleyan returns to competition on Friday, Jan. 14, playing at Hollins University in an ODAC game starting at 7 p.m.

--AMDG--