OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Too much turkey or too much Mustang?

Whatever it was it wasn't good for the Virginia Wesleyan College women's basketball team in its first game following the Thanksgiving break. The host Mustangs of Stevenson University jumped out a 15-0 start and a sluggish VWC team never recovered in a 69-46 non-conference loss on Sunday at SU's Owings Mills Gymnasium.

The first seven minutes of the game put Virginia Wesleyan (2-3) in the hole as the Marlins turned the ball over six times and did not get the ball to drop on its first 11 shots.  Junior Kelly Jones(Ellicott City, Md./Mt. Hebron)ended VWC's long draught when she sank a three-pointer at the 13:04 mark of the first half, stopping Stevenson's 15-0 opening surge.

A consistent offense eluded Virginia Wesleyan throughout the first half and the Marlins found themselves trailing 29-9 at halftime.

Virginia Wesleyan generated more of an offensive attack in the second half, but Stevenson (3-2) was able to stay a step ahead of the Marlins en route to the win.

Sophomore Crystal Strother(Accokeek/Brandywine Gwynn Park) led VWC in scoring with nine points. Senior Brittany Glasco(Fredericksburg/Massaponax), rookie Desiray Bennett(Blackridge/Brunswick) and Jones all scored eight points each. SeniorAndrea Paphites(Virginia Beach/Frank W. Cox) pulled down six rebounds for the Marlins and senior Symonne Newsome(Reistertown, Md./St. Paul's School for Girls) recorded four steals.

Virginia Wesleyan turned the ball over 31 times and hit only 32% from the field, including 18% from three-point range.

Sara Tarbert led Stevenson with 14 points, followed by Kyarra Harmon with 13 points.  The Mustangs duo hit a combined 13-of-21 shots.  Tarbert also pulled down 14 rebounds, produced five steals and blocked three shots.

VWC will attempt to return to the winning side of the ledger on Wednesday, Dec. 3, hosting North Carolina Wesleyan College's Battling Bishops in a non-conference game beginning at 6 p.m.  The No. 12 ranked VWC men will host No. 13 Randolph-Macon College at approximated 8 p.m. in the second game of the doubleheader at the Jane P. Batten Student Center.

--AMDG--