R-MC now stands at 16-3 overall, 13-2 in the league and has now won 13 of its last 14 games. The win also marks the 398th career victory for Yellow Jacket head coach Carroll LaHaye who continues to move closer to the 400 win milestone.
The Yellow Jackets were led by Lindsay Riesbeck who scored a game-high 18 points. Marta Merkel and Molly Ariail each had nine points in the win. Riesbeck and Kristen Morgan each pulled down a team-high nine rebounds for the Jackets.
Virginia Wesleyan drops to 17-5 overall and 14-3 in the league. Nicole Thurston led the Marlins with 14 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Andrea Ushinski also scored 14 points and had nine boards. The R-MC defense held VWC to just 25.4% (15-of-59) shooting from the floor on the evening.
The game was close throughout with the Yellow Jackets opening up the biggest lead of the first-half when a Merkel jumper made the score 22-15. Virginia Wesleyan cut that lead to three points when two free-throws by Heather Phillips made the score 26-23. A lay up by Riesbeck with just over a minute remaining in the first-half gave R-MC a 28-23 lead at the break.
The second-half was close as well with neither team holding more than a four point edge. With the score 43-42 in favor of the Marlins, Ariail connected on one-of-two free throws to tie the score with 1:49 remaining.
The game remained tied until 24 seconds left in the contest when Ariail knocked down a jumper off an assist from Morgan to put the Yellow Jackets up 45-43.
After the Yellow Jackets stopped the Marlins on their ensuing possession when Ushinski missed and Merkel corralled the defensive rebound, Merkel made two free-throws to put R-MC up 47-43.
The Jackets held VWC without a basket on its next trip down the floor and Morgan sealed the game with two free-throws of her own with three seconds on the clock.
Randolph-Macon will be back in action on Monday when it travels to Catholic University for a non-conference match-up. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 p.m. Virginia Wesleyan will be back on the court Tuesday when it travels to Lynchburg College for a 7:00 p.m. game.