The Eastern Mennonite University women's basketball team proved that this past weekend's loss to Southern Virginia was a fluke as the Lady Royals knocked off the Virginia Wesleyan Marlins 54-53 Tuesday night in Virginia Beach, Va.

The Lady Royals are now 10-5 overall and an 8-3 mark in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference while the Virginia Wesleyan Marlins fall to 14-4 overall and 11-2 in the conference. The loss snaps the Marlins 11-game ODAC winning streak.

Carolyn Riley (Warrenton, Va.) was at it again for EMU as the sophomore forward poured in another 19 points after recording the same amount against Southern Virginia this past weekend. Riley also had a team-high four steals.

The Lady Royals took a three-point lead into the break thanks to a lay-up towards the end of the half by freshman guard Ebony Dennis (Baltimore, Md.). Dennis had eight points and eight boards for EMU while senior guard Tara Jones (Richmond, Va.) also finished with eight points, eight rebounds and four assists.

Junior center Jolene Kratz (Telford, Pa.) tallied seven points and seven boards for the Lady Royals.

Virginia Wesleyan looked to take the lead and the game in closing seconds of the second half but Andrea Ushinski last second three-pointer was off the mark and sealed the win for EMU.

Nicole Thurston had a team-high 17 points, 13 rebounds, and five blocks for the Marlins on 8-of-11 shooting from the field. Heather Phillips chipped in another 10 points for VWC which had defeated the Lady Royals in thier past two meetings.

Both teams struggled from the floor with neither team able to shoot over 30 percent in the second half.

The Lady Royals next contest will be on Friday, January 26, at 7 p.m. as they welcome in Randolph-Macon Women's College to Yoder Arena.