For immediate release – 1/21/2015 - #230
Hornets fall at the Marlins 63-59

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA –The Lynchburg College women's basketball team lost a heartbreaker on Wednesday night to Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) rival Virginia Wesleyan College, 63-59.  There were eight ties and eight lead changes in the close conference matchup, with the Marlins finishing on top.

Brittany Glasco and VWC came out of the gate quickly, taking a 9-0 lead at the 16:45 mark, with Glasco scoring five of those points.  After a timeout, the Hornets got on the board after a post move by Lauren Penley. 

After a series of back and forth baskets, the Marlins once again held a 15-6 advantage, but Lynchburg erased the deficit in mere minutes.  Olivia DeFrancesco tallied five points in the series and helped tie the game at 15 all with 12 minutes on the board.

The rest of the half remained close for both teams.  With 4:09 remaining on the clock, Charmaine Hairston made two free throws to give LC the 27-26 lead.  She would hit two more from the charity stripe less than a minute later to put the Hornets up three.  Shannon Allan and Chaney Forbush both scored in the final minute and a half, but were countered by Marlins each time.  LC entered the intermission 33-30.

The second half proved to be a tight affair as well.  LC pushed the advantage to eight points after a Forbush layup with 16:39 left, but the Marlins fought back, and allowed the lead to extend past four only one time. 

The Marlins cut the Hornet advantage to one at 4:00 after a pair of free throws.  After working the shot clock all the way down to one, Hairston's three-point attempt rolled around the rim before falling in.  It gave the Hornets a four-point lead. 

It would not last, as VWC tied the game after a three at 2:19.  Sammi Goldsmith drove to the basket soon after and was fouled.  She made two free throws to give LC the lead once again.  After the Marlins made two from the charity stripe on separate occasions, it once again tied the score.

After gaining possession, the Marlins took back the lead for good on a made three by Andrea Paphites with 38 seconds left.  Lynchburg had two shots to tie the score, but was short on both.

Paphites led four different Virginia Wesleyan (11-5 overall, 5-2 ODAC) scorers in double digits with 12 points.  Hairston and Forbush each had 15 points in the loss, with Forbush pulling down a game-high eight rebounds.

The Hornets (10-6, 5-2) return home on Saturday with another important ODAC matchup.  Lynchburg will host Guilford College at 2 p.m.

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