VIRGINIA BEACH -- An 18-10 scoring run midway through the first half of Sunday's non-conference women's basketball game pushed Virginia Wesleyan College's Marlins into the lead against Methodist University, but somehow the pesky Monarchs were still hanging around.

Senior Symonne Newsome(Reistertown, Md./St. Paul's School for Girls)scored on a layup to give VWC a 32-31 lead with 4:35 remaining to be played in half as part of an 18-10 run that wiped out a 27-21 Methodist lead.

But, somehow the Monarchs were still hanging around, trailing just 39-39 after Ayanna Pegues (Raeford, N.C./Hoke County) scored on a layup with 37 seconds showing.  VWC finished big however, as sophomore Crystal Strother(Accokeek, Md./Brandywine Gwynne Park) hit a triple and  Platt (Virginia Beach/Princess Anne) scored on a put-back as the first half buzzer sounded, giving the Marlins a 44-37 lead at the break.

It also gave VWC a cushion for the remainder of the game as the Marlins maintained their lead and recorded a 73-60 victory at the Jane P. Batten Student Center.

Senior Nancy Kelly(Phoenix, Md./Dulaney) and Newsome scored the first five points of the second half as Virginia Wesleyan opened up a 49-37 lead and held off the Monarchs the rest of the way to wrap up their third consecutive win.

Newsome and Kelly played key roles in helping the Marlins to maintain a second-half spread, each sparking the VWC offense when needed.  While Newsome scored 10 of her 14 points in a nine minute stretch in the second half, Kelly tallied eight of her 12.  Newsome's output was highlighted by two big triples.

Methodist (0-6) looked like anything but a winless team at the start of the game as the Monarchs produced an aggressive offense gave the team the lead throughout most of the first half.  Put simply, the Monarchs were hitting lights out early, connecting for 60% and higher in the early going to help build a 27-21 lead, sparked by Alexis Wallace (Gastonia, N.C./Ashbrook), Jalisia Campbell (Lillington, N.C./Harnett Central) and Pegues.

But, that's when Virginia Wesleyan came through with an 11-4 run, ignited by baskets from Andrea Paphites (Virginia Beach/Princess Anne) and Brittany Glasco(Fredericksburg/Massaponax). Kelly Jones(Ellicott City, Md./Mt. Hebron)scored five points to offset jumpers by MU's Pegues and Campbell to keep the Marlins a step ahead, before Newsome scored the layup that gave VWC a 32-31 advantage and a lead it never lost.

Jones hit 8-of-13 shots, including three triples, to lead all scoring with 20 points. Newsome added 14 points for the Marlins and Kelly scored 12.  She also led all rebounding with nine.  Kerri Taylor (Stockport, England/Pottstown, Pa. Hill School)added eight rebounds to help the Marlins to a 42-40 advantage on the backboards.  Glasco scored nine points for the Marlins and recorded a game-high six assists.

Pegues led Methodist with 18 points, hitting 9-of-12 field goal attempts. Wallace and Campbell finished with 11 points each and Maria Jones (Richmond/Henrico) added 10. Wallace also recorded seven rebounds and four assists.

Virginia Wesleyan's next two games will be played in the Virgin Islands at the AIST St. Thomas Division III Classic.  The Marlins will face Nichols College on Dec. 18 and take on Emerson College on Dec. 19.  Both games begin at 12 p.m.

--AMDG--