Sweet Briar soccer battled visiting 25th-ranked Virginia Wesleyan College to a 3-0 loss Sunday in the Vixens last game of the season. The loss ends Sweet Briar’s 2006 campaign with a 3-12 mark overall. The Marlins finish with a 13-3-2 record for the regular season.

Virginia Wesleyan got on the board first as Laura Jackson volleyed in a pass from Missy Kuhns in the 11th minute. The score remained 1-0 through the end of the half thanks to great defensive play from the Vixen back line and goalie Kristen Johnson ’09 (Federal Way, WA/Decatur) who turned back seven shots in the half.

After a 20-minute scoreless start to the second half, Marlin Stacy Zeiler netted an insurance goal for Virginia Wesleyan at 65:21. She added a second three minutes later off a pass from Kuhns to give Virginia Wesleyan the 3-0 win.

Johnson, who faced 26 shots from Virginia Wesleyan in the game, finished with nine saves. Marlins Lindsey Williams and Allison Lennox split time in goal for the shutout.

"It was a solid effort by our young team today. We kept mature in our defensive shape and unfortunately were punished for the couple of breakdowns we had. As a team, we are performing at a higher level now than in September," coach Paul Shaw said after the game.

Today’s contest was the last in a Vixen uniform for Sweet Briar seniors Cat Ashley (St. Albans, WV/St. Albans), Claire Bryan (Chesapeake, VA/Norfolk Academy), and Carlina Muglia (Amherst, VA/Amherst County). Ashley ends her four years with 61 appearances, never missing a game in her college career. Her mark of 61 appearances is a new program record, passing the previous mark of 59.

Sweet Briar ends its season with a 3-12 mark overall and a 1-10 record in conference play.