Marlins achieve athletic success

Abigail Mahoney: Volleyball ODAC Player of the Week

Sophomore #8 Abigail Mahoney was selected as Old Dominion Athletic Conference Women’s Volleyball Player of the Week during the week of Oct. 4-10. During that week, Mahoney had a total of 32 kills on 70 attacks with a .357 hitting percentage, and seven errors. She added 12 digs and eight blocks to her sheet and served up six aces with four of the six aces being against the Cardinals of Catholic University that helped the Marlins take lead in the set against the Cardinals on Oct. 9. Mahoney also delivered eleven kills in the week against the Cardinals of Catholic University, the Royals of Eastern Mennonite and the Mustangs of Stevenson University. 

Mahoney and the VWU Volleyball team continue their season and travel to Newport News, Virginia to face the Captains of  Christopher Newport University and the Saints of Marymount University in a doubleheader. The first serve will take place at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 29.

Women’s Soccer number one in ODAC

The Virginia Wesleyan Women’s Soccer team played an amazing match against the Panthers of Ferrum College in a 3-0 shut out to claim the top spot in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference on Oct. 23. The Marlins now have a record of 9-5-1 overall and 7-1-0 in the conference. 

In the first half, #10 Emma Acanfora scored the first goal for the Marlins to acquire the lead from a pass off a corner kick made to Acanfora by #20 Kennedi Anders. At the end of the first half, this left the Marlins with an advantage over the Panthers 1-0. 

In the second half, a pass from #2 Carleigh Van Reenen to #8 Breacain McClenahan helped the team score their second goal of the game putting them at a 2-0 advantage in the 59th minute of the game. A few minutes later, the third goal came from Van Reenen to hold off the Panthers for the rest of the half giving the Marlins their 3-0 victory.

The VWU Women’s Soccer team returns to action on Oct. 30 on the road for another ODAC match as they face off against the Eagles of Bridgewater. The match is set to start at 3:30 p.m.

Women’s Soccer Head Coach Jeffrey Bowers 300 career wins

A win for the Virginia Wesleyan Women’s Soccer team against the Maroons of Roanoke College 2-0 on Oct. 9 helped Head Coach and Associate Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Jeff Bowers collect his 300th win of his career. 

Bowers has been coaching for 22 seasons with the Marlins and has taken the Women’s Soccer program to six undefeated ODAC seasons during his time here, a feat only Coach Bowers has reached. His most successful season was back in 2006 when he won an Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship and a place in the NCAA Division III final four where the team finished with an 18-4-4 record. 

Bowers’s career wins will possibly continue to grow as the VWU Women’s Soccer team continues their regular season matches leading up to the ODAC Championship Tournament scheduled to start Tuesday, Nov. 2.

By: Shirell Washington
sawashington@vwu.edu