ASHLAND, Va. -- Sarah Seipp scored on a layup to give Virginia Wesleyan College's women's basketball team the lead late in Tuesday's Old Dominion Athletic Conference contest at Randolph-Macon College.

It was a layup that sparked a 13-2 run in a five minute span that opened up a 70-60 lead with 1:59 remaining to be played and carried the Marlins to a 78-70 victory over the ODAC's preseason title favorite Yellow Jackets.

Virginia Wesleyan (10-3, 7-1) used timely triples by Seipp (Gaithersburg, Md./Gaithersburg) and senior Beth Ann Boyce (Colonial Heights, Va./Colonial Heights) in the run to help put an end to an intense battle. There were 22 lead changes in the contest at Crenshaw Gymnasium, including 13 in the second half.  Maggie Roy (Richmond, Va./Mills Godwin) scored on a layup to give the Jackets (5-7, 3-4) their last lead at 58-57 with 6:22 on the clock.

R-MC managed to cut the spread to six points in the waning seconds, but junior Rachael Miller (Sterling Park, Va./Park View) rolled in to score on a layup with eight seconds to play, cementing VWC's first win on the Randolph-Macon court since Jan. 19, 2007.  The win snapped a five-game winning streak in the series for R-MC.

While numerous Marlins contributed in the victory, it was Seipp who took the lead role.  The rookie extended her impressive collegiate start by stinging the Jackets for a career-high 27 points...just four shy of tying VWC's rookie record of 31 set by Joanette Lowery against Hampton in 1977.

Seipp did tie a VWC rookie mark however, as she hit 10-of-14 free throws. That tied the record for freebies made, originally set by Kim Thierault against Christopher Newport University in 1987.  Angela Scott tied the record for the Marlins against Methodist in 1988.

Seipp knocked down 7-of-14 field goal attempts, including 3-of-6 from three-point range.  She also recorded a team-leading seven rebounds, dished out three assists, and blocked two shots.

Miller was next in line in scoring for VWC, finishing with 13 points. She hit 5-of-10 field goal attempts, including three triples.  She also recorded three assists for the Marlins, who recorded 15 overall.  Boyce emerged as VWC's assist leader with a game-leading four.  Rookie Nancy Kelly (Phoenix, Md./Dulaney) also contributed key play with nine points overall and a game-high three steals.

R-MC, the defending ODAC champion and winner of the conference crown in five of the last seven seasons, enjoyed its largest lead of the game in the first half at 23-17 with 6:17 remaining before halftime.

But, Virginia Wesleyan came on strong down the stretch and used a 12-0 scoring run to take a 29-23 lead.  Seipp led the way with six points and Kristen Blalock (Suffolk, Va./Portsmouth Christian) added four points.  R-MC pulled within a 32-29 score by halftime.

Roy led R-MC with 21 points and Taylor Wieczorek (Grasonville, Md./Severn) added 20 points and led all rebounding with 13. Sarah Parsons (Glen Allen, Va./J.R. Tucker) scored 16 points.

R-MC enjoyed a 23-of-29 effort from the free throw lines, while VWC produced a 7-of-19 showing from three point range.  The Jackets turned the ball over 16 times, as compared to just seven for the Marlins.

VWC returns to competition on Friday, Jan. 13, hosting Hollins University at 7 p.m. at the Jane P. Batten Student Center.  The Marlins also play on Saturday, Jan. 14, hosting the Maroons of Roanoke College at 4 p.m.  Both are ODAC games.

--AMDG--