VIRGINIA BEACH -- Comebacks don't happen all at once.
Persistence is the key, especially when one team trails by as many as 16 points to start the game.
That was the scenario for the Virginia Wesleyan College women's basketball team on Wednesday as the Marlins could not get a basket to drop early and fell behind the visiting Bridgewater College Eagles 16-0 in the first eight minutes at the Jane P. Batten Student Center.
But, the Marlins stayed focused and began chipping away at the deficit late in the first half, eventually pulling within four points en route to trailing just 31-23 at halftime. Bridgewater rebuilt its lead to eight points in the second half, could not hang on as Virginia wesleyan took the lead on a three-point play seniorSymonne Newsome with 4:10 remaining in the game and added key scoring in the ensuing minutes to post a thrilling 58-55 Old Dominion Athletic Conference victory.
Newsome (Reistertown, Md./St. Paul's School for Girls) scored 11 second half points to help spark the Marlins (14-8, 8-5), who produced a 15-2 scoring run in a span of five minutes to turn a 46-38 deficit into a 53-48 lead with 3:35 on the clock. Newsome scored seven points in the turnaround, which was spurred by a pressuring defense that forced costly Bridgewater turnovers. The Eagles (11-10, 6-7) turned the ball over 14 times in the half and 22 times in the game. VWC committed only nine turnovers.
Heather Cantrell (Singers Glen/Broadway), Jessi Strom (Salem/Glenvar), and Cassidy Burkholder (Bridgewater/Turner Ashby) hit timely scores for the Eagles to keep the Marlins from pulling away, but it wasn't enought. Kerri Taylor (Stockport, England/Pottstown, Pa. The Hill School) hit a crucial triple off a Newsome assist with 1:46 on the clock and Brittany Glasco (Fredericksburg/Massaponax) followed with a layup that gave the Marlins a 58-51 lead entering the final minute.
Burkholder scored the final four points of the game for Bridgewater to cut into the lead.
Virginia Wesleyan could not fire up the offense in the first half however, as the Marlins hit just 23% from the field, while Bridgewater was enjoying a 55.6% effort, led by Oshene Kelly (Front Royal/Skyline), who hit 6-of-8 shots for 12 points.
Halftime gave the Marlins a chance to pull things together and VWC returned to the court to shoot 44.4% in the second half, while Bridgewater cooled off to 39%. The Eagles still finished with 48% shooting for the game, but could not hit from behind the arc, finishing 0-for-7.
Glasco led VWC scoring with 16 points, hitting 5-of-8 field goal attempts. Newsome finished with 14 points and senior Nancy Kelly (Phoenix, Md./Dulaney) pulled down a team-high nine rebounds.
Kelly scored 16 points to lead Bridgewater, which received 15 points from Burkhoder and 10 from Jessica Lam (Elkton/East Rockingham). Cantrell led all rebounding with 10. Both teams finished with 37 boards.
Virginia Wesleyan returns to competition Saturday, Feb. 14, playing at Guilford College at 2 p.m.
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