VWC ties program record with 14 in victory over Lynchburg

More news about: Virginia Wesleyan

VIRGINIA BEACH -- Just four days after setting the program record for most three-pointers made in a game with 14 in a decisive victory over Roanoke College, the Virginia Wesleyan College women's basketball team did it again. Rookie Kelly Jones (Ellicott City, Md./Mt. Hebron)hit the record-tying triple from deep in the left corner, set up by an assist from sophomore Andrea Paphites (Virginia Beach/Princess Anne), with 1:13 remaining in Tuesday's Old Dominion Athletic Conference game against Lynchburg College at the Jane P. Batten Student Center. It was the fifth triple of the contest for Jones, whose career-best effort from long range led to a career-best total of 17 points that helped lead the host Marlins to a 78-56 victory in a battle to keep pace with the ODAC's current league leaders.  While VWC improved to 5-2 in the league, and 10-6 overall, Lynchburg dropped to 4-3 in the ODAC and to 9-6 overall. Nine Marlins scored and five triples, led by Jones with a 5-of-8 showing, followed by senior Rachael Miller (Sterling/Park View) and sophomore Sarah Seipp (Gaithersburg, Md./Gaithersburg) with three each, Paphites with two and sophomore Brittany Glasco (Fredericksburg/Massaponax) with one.  VWC hit 14-of-28 triple attempts, while Lynchburg hit 2-of-15, both by Katie Reeves (Fredericksburg/Liberty). Virginia Wesleyan hit three consecutive triples in a four-minute span to break open the game early in the first half.  After Paphites scored on a layup to give VWC an 11-9 lead with 12:54 remaining in the first half, Seipp hit two triples and Miller another as the Marlins put together a 17-4 scoring run to open up a 24-13 lead with 6:46 remaining before halftime. A jumper by Lynchburg's Sarah Coon (Jamestown, N.C./Bishop McGuinness) stopped the run, but only briefly. The Marlins answered with a triple from Paphites, two from Jones and one from Miller, as Virginia Wesleyan posted a 12-4 to open up a 36-19 lead with 2:55 on the clock.  Glasco hit another triple shortly before halftime to post a 39-26 lead at the break. Coon scored five consecutive points to open the first half for Lynchburg, cutting the VWC lead to 41-30 with 16:03 remaining in the game, but the Hornets were unable to get any closer.  Consecutive triples by Miller and Seipp pushed Virginia Wesleyan back into a 47-30 lead less than two minutes later.  Lynchburg never got closer than 17 points the rest of the way. While Jones led Virginia Wesleyan with 17 points, hitting 5-of-9 field goal attempts overall, Seipp added 15 points, hitting 6-of-12 shots and Paphites finished with 12 points, hitting 5-of-7 fielders.  The Marlins hit on 47.5% from the field overall. Ann Dorris (Clifton, Texas/Logan County) and Reeves finished with 10 points each to lead the Hornets, who hit 41.5% from the court.  The taller Hornets won the rebounding battle 38-31, led by Lauren Penley (Pfafftown, N.C./Mount Tabor) with 11.  Katie Tassa (Bristow/Manassas Osbourn Park) led VWC rebounding with six and shared the team lead with Seipp with three steals each. Miller led the Marlins with five assists. Virginia Wesleyan's harassing defense helped force 22 Lynchburg turnovers.  VWC turned the ball over 12 times. Virginia Wesleyan competes again in ODAC action on Saturday, Jan. 19, at 3 p.m. at Eastern Mennonite University. --AMDG--