ST. THOMAS, V.I. -- A tropical climate apparently suits Virginia Wesleyan College senior Nancy Kelly just fine.
Kelly (Phoenix, Md./Dulaney) enjoyed one of her most productive days of basketball ever at VWC as she recorded career-high totals with 21 points and 21 rebounds to help lead VWC to a 61-52 victory over Massachusetts' Nichols College in the St. Thomas Classic the the University of Virgin Islands Sports and Fitness Center.
Kelly's 21 points ties the same total she scored earlier this season in a win over North Carolina Wesleyan College. The rebounding total tops her previous career best of 11 set last season against Guilford College. It also ranks third among VWC's best single-game efforts in program history. Kelly joins Stacy Carr and Heather Phillips as the only VWC women to pull down 20+ rebounds in a game.
Kelly was part of another solid senior-led effort that included Brittany Glasco (Fredericksburg/Massaponax) utilizing her quickness to score 14 points, pull down six rebounds, pass out four assists, and pick up three steals. Andrea Paphites (Virginia Beach/Princess Anne) contributed with eight points and a game-high four blocks, while Keri Taylor (Stockport, England/Pottstown, Pa. Hill School) added eight points and seven rebounds, and Symonne Newsome (Reistertown, Md./St. Paul's School for Girls) recorded three steals. Sophomore Crystal Strother (Accokeek, Md./Brandywine Gwynn Park) helped the VWC cause with seven points and four rebounds.
Virginia Wesleyan (6-3) extended its current winning streak to four straight games by wiping out a halftime deficit. Seniors Amber Litwinko (Berlin, Conn./St. Paul) and Alexis Wegrzynek (Wilbraham, Mass./Chicopee) helped guide Nichols' Bison (4-4) to a 30-27 lead at the break, but could not extend it in the second half.
VWC's press started to make a difference in the second half, helping ignite an early run that catapulted the Marlins in front, 36-30.
A major factor in VWC's victory was domination of the backboards. The Marlins combined to pull down 53 rebounds, their second highest total of the season and 10th highest single-game total in program history. Nichols finished with 39 rebounds, led by Litwinko with 15, all defensive.
Litwinko led Nichols' scoring with 23 points, followed by Wegrzynek with 15, and Allison Cerrato (Rockland, Mass./Rockland) with eight points.
Virginia Wesleyan competes again in the Classic on Friday, Dec. 19, taking on Boston's Emerson College Lions (6-2) at noon. Emerson opened the Classic with a 70-63 loss to Randolph-Macon College.
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