Box Score   |  Box Score in HTML Format  |  Box Score in PDF Format

SALEM, Va. -- Led by a dominant effort from junior Tia Perry, the Christopher Newport women's basketball team improved to 3-0 this season with a 62-46 win over Roanoke College (1-4) on the road. Perry grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds and added a game-high 17 points to lead the way for the Captains.

The Captains win springed from an impressive defensive effort, notching 18 steals and four blocked shots. CNU held Roanoke to just 30.4% shooting including an 18.8% mark from beyond the arc.

The Captains and Maroons both struggled in the opening stretch, teetering to a 16-14 CNU edge with 8:39 remaining in the first half. Then, Perry and the Captains scored nine straight to take a double-digit lead with 4:42 remaining. Perry scored six of the nine before the run was capped by a long three-pointer from the right wing by rookie Brandi Holland. The Captains took a 25-14 lead on their only trey of the half. 

The home team closed the half on an 11-6 run to pull back within six at the break, 31-25. Perry had a double-double at halftime, with 12 points and 10 rebounds to lead the way. Junior Nicole Mitchell added six points, four rebounds and four steals, while CNU shot just 30.3% from the floor as a team (10-33). The Maroons also struggled from the field, getting eight points from Meghan Gadell on 3-of-6 shooting, but dropping just 29.6% of their shots as a team (8-27). 

After halftime, the Captains defense continued to lock down Roanoke's attack, while the CNU offense kicked into gear. After Paxton Gwin scored the opening bucket of the half to cut CNU's lead to four, 31-27, CNU built the lead back to double digits at 41-31 with 14:11 showing on the clock. The Maroons again chipped away to get back within five, but CNU responded with a 14-5 run to take a 14-point lead with 4:05 left. Camry Green knocked down a pair of free-throws to cap the run and CNU held off the Maroons for the remainder.

Perry's added four steals, an assist and a blcok to her double-double of 17 points and 16 rebounds to fill the stat sheet for CNU. Mitchell grabbed a career-high eight steals to go with her 12 points and nine rebounds, finishing just shy of a triple-double. As a team, the Captains finished at 35.6% from the field (21-59) and scored 18 second-chance points.

Roanoke was led by Kelsey Smith with 11 points, while Tatum McKee added seven points, seven rebounds and five steals. The Maroons hit just 3-of-16 shots from long range, for an 18.8% shooting percentage. 

The Captains will play in their home opener this weekend as they play host to LaGrange and Piedmont. CNU will tip at 2:00 pm both Saturday and Sunday in the USA South Conference opening weekend.