FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- A cold spell that spawned a heat wave rolled through the Don Taft University Center gymnasium Sunday, sweeping Virginia Wesleyan College's women's basketball Marlins to an impressive 79-67 victory over New York's Manhattanville College in the Cruzin Classic.

Temperature outside the DTUC on the campus of Nova Southeastern University was near 80 at game time and the teams staged a heated battle throughout the first half, which featured five lead changes and 10 ties.  Senior Joceyln Spencer (Newport News, Va./Hampton Roads Academy) rolled in for a layup with five seconds remaining in the half to tie the score at 33 at halftime.

Manhattanville (3-7) returned to the second half with a stepped-up game sparked by Courtney Turner (Staten Island, N.Y./Ralph McKee), Taylor Wilson (Pearl River, N.Y./Pearl River), and Jen McSharar (Garnerville, N.Y./North Rockland), to open up a 10 point lead. The Valiants led 54-45 when McSharar hit a layup with 11:24 remaining to be played in the game.

That's when the cold spell hit for the New Yorkers, spawning a heat wave for Virginia Wesleyan (7-1) for the remainder of the game.  While Manhattanville missed seven consecutive shots and turned the ball over nine times, Virginia Wesleyan hit consistently in a 17-0 run that catapulted the Marlins into a 62-54 lead when rookie Sarah Seipp (Gaithersburg, Md./Gaithersburg) scored on a layup with 8:19 on the clock.

But, it did not end there for the Marlins.  The 17-0 run, which included key three-pointers from junior Rachael Miller (Sterling, Va./Park View) and senior Beth Ann Boyce (Colonial Heights, Va./Colonial Heights), was part of a decisive 39-17 scoring surge by VWC in the final 13:56 of the game.

Kelly Ann Sullivan (Amity Harbor, N.Y./Copiague) connected on a triple to pull the Valiants within a 70-61 score with 1:58 to play, but Virginia Wesleyan padded its lead from the charity stripe down the stretch, with Seipp leading the way, hitting 4-of-4 attempts.

Miller turned in an outstanding game for the Marlins, who are off to their best start since the 2007-08 season.  She tied for team-high scoring honors with 18 points, dished out a game-high five assists, and recorded three steals.  Miller hit 4-of-6 field goal attempts, including three from long range, and nailed 7-of-8 free throws overall.

Boyce, who tied Miller for team-high scoring honors with 18 points, was even more accurate from long range, nailing 4-of-5 three-point attempts.  She hit 5-of-8 shots overall.  Seipp nearly matched their scoring output, finishing with 17 points, helped by an 8-of-9 showing from the free throw lines.

Virginia Wesleyan's quickness created numerous attempts to take the ball to the hoop, resulting in scores or drawing fouls that put the Marlins at the stripes.  VWC toed the free throw lines 28 times and hit 22 attempts.  Manhattanville hit 9-of-16 free throw attempts.

Turner took game-high scoring honors for the Valiants, netting 20 points, hitting 7-of-13 field goals and 6-of-10 free throws.  Wilson added 15 points and 5-foot-10 McScharar led all rebounding with 11.  The Valiants out-rebounded the Marlins 45-34 overall.

Virginia Wesleyan helped itself by nailing 9-of-26 three-point attempts, including 6-of-12 in the second half.  Pressuring defense also helped the Marlins, who helped force 27 Manhattaville turnovers.

Virginia Wesleyan returns to competition in the Cruzin Classic on Monday, Dec. 19 at 9 a.m. taking on the Falcons of Messiah College (6-3).  Messiah tripped Manhattanville 61-57 in the opening game of the Classic on Saturday.

--AMDG-