VIRGINIA BEACH -- Something big had to happen for Virginia Wesleyan College's women's basketball team midway through the second half of Tuesday's non-conference game against the Salem College Spirits.

Half of a 14-point halftime lead had been whittled away by the feisty team from Winston-Salem, N.C., when seniors stepped up for Virginia Wesleyan to keep things from getting any closer. Kerri Taylor (Stockport, England/Pottstown, Pa. Hill School), Brittany Glasco (Fredericksburg/Massaponax), Nancy Kelly (Phoenix, Md./Dulaney) and Andrea Paphites (Virginia Beach/Princess Anne) all scored in a 7-0 run that pushed the Marlins out to a 74-60 lead with 8:03 remaining to be played.

It was enough of a spurt to keep VWC in front by double digits the rest of the way as the Marlins went on to post an 85-71 victory at the Jane P. Batten Student Center.

VWC's highest scoring output of the season was highlighted by a career-high 30 points from Glasco, who hit on 9-of-12 field goals, including a pair of triples.  She also hit 10-of-11 free throws en route to the highest scoring effort by a Marlin since 2008 when Jill Weston tallied 31 points against Salisbury University. Glasco's 30 points tie the eighth highest single-game total in VWC history.

Glasco tallied 18 points in the first half, helping the Marlins to a 54-40 halftime lead. Virginia Wesleyan (8-4) never trailed, jumping out to a 6-0 lead on a pair of triples from Paphites. But, scoring by Kristal Lollis (Oberlin, La./Oberlin) and Zykeya Henderson (Inman, S.C.) kept Salem close, trailing just 24-20 with 12:15 remaining in the half.

It never got closer however as Glasco nailed a triple to start a 7-0 run that helped the Marlins open up a 30-20 lead.  Kenna Amos (New Britain, Conn./Capital) hit a pair of free throws top pull Salem with nine, at 35-26, before VWC answered with a 19-7 surge. Crystal Strother (Accokeek, Md./Brandywine Gwynn Park), Alexis Platt (Virginia Beach/Princess Anne) and Kelly Jones (Ellicott City, Md./Mt. Hebron) all scored in the run, which was capped by a triple from Paphites that produced the Marlins' largest lead of the game at 54-33.

Salem (1-9) closed the half with a 7-0 run to cut the spread to 54-40 at the break, but senior Symonne Newsome (Reistertown, Md./St. Paul's School for Girls), Glasco, and Platt all scored in the early going of the second half to push VWC into a 61-44 advantage.

But, the visiting team came back with a 16-6 scoring run that pulled the Spirits within a 67-60 score with 11:07 on the clock.  That's when the VWC seniors took control for the Marlins to rebuild the lead and carry the host team the rest of the way.

In addition to the 30 points from Glasco, VWC received 12 points from Jones, who hit 5-of-9 field goals, and 11 points from Paphites.  Taylor led the Marlins with nine rebounds and six assists.

Henderson finished with 19 points for Salem, followed by 18 from Lollis and 16 from Quantashea Lewis (Hartford, Conn.)  Lollis led the Spirits on the boards with nine rebounds.

VWC returns to competition on Saturday, Jan. 10, playing at 2 p.m. at Randolph College in Old Dominion Athletic Conference action.

--AMDG--