The Eastern Mennonite University women's basketball team fought back from a 15-point deficit in the first half, but couldn't sneak a win on the road, falling at Virginia Wesleyan 60-56. The Royals fell behind 20-5 before tying the game at 27-27. But the Marlins kept the edge in the second as EMU took the four-point loss.

After the women scored first on a pair of Danielle Rittenhouse (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg) free throws in the opening minute, VWC exploded to a 20-5 lead.

The Royals regrouped and outscored the home team 24-7 over the next 11:13, finally getting even when Marla Young (Fishersville, Va./Wilson Memorial) canned a three pointer. Young's bucket with 14 seconds left in the half gave EMU a short-lived 29-27 lead.

But the Marlins answered with a three pointer to take a 30-29 edge into halftime.

The teams traded leads early in the final stanza before VWC used a 10-0 run to go up 44-37.

Eastern Mennonite got within one point after a Rittenhouse layup made it 51-50 with 4:40 to go. The Marlins made just enough free throws to stay on top and hold on for the 60-56 decision.

Neither team shot particularly well, but the Royals lost the contest by committing 18 turnovers. VWC only had nine miscues.

EMU was 17-46 from the floor for 37% and 3-9 from downtown. The Marlins were 18-58 for 31% and 8-25 from long range.

Sophomore Sara Lamneck (Swoope, Va./Buffalo Gap) led the Royals with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Rittenhouse finished with 12 points.

Kala Yoders (Myerstown, Pa./ELCO) had eight rebounds and a team high three assists off the bench. Young was perfect from the floor and finished with seven points.

Kristen Blalock led Virginia Wesleyan with 16 points and 14 rebounds.

The loss drops EMU to 12-10 overall and 10-7 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. The women are in fifth in the league standings but just one game ahead of both the Marlins and Guilford.

The Royals close the regular season with three home games next week, starting with last-place Randolph Tuesday night. Emory & Henry and Guilford come to Harrisonburg over the weekend to wrap things up.