FROSTBURG, Md. – The Christopher Newport women's basketball team overcame a sluggish first quarter to earn an 80-43 win at Frostburg State improving their record to 17-2 overall and 10-2 in the Capital Athletic Conference. Trailing 16-14 at the end of the first quarter, the Captains ratcheted up the defensive intensity and forced the Bobcats into 20 first-half turnovers and only 6 points in a dominant second quarter.
 
Sophomore, Sam Porter provided the Captains' only spark in the first quarter, scoring six of her game-high 12 points in the first ten minutes. Despite finding shots in the post, CNU struggled to score. However, almost as soon as the second-quarter began, the Captains caught fire. Makenzie Fancher knocked down a three-pointer from the left wing and Brooke Basinger followed shortly after with a three of her own.
 
Over the final seven minutes of the half, CNU outscored the Bobcats 23 to 4. Freshman forward, Jessica Daguilh collected six of her 10 points during the frenzied second stanza . Daguilh finished as one of three Captains in double figures, joining Porter and Anitra Thomas who added 11.
 
The second half began as the first ended with the Captains extending their lead, albeit with contributions from a host of players who played sparingly in the first. After returning from a first-half collision in front of the CNU bench, Bailey Dufrene collected a Devon Byrd miss in the lane and got the first bucket of the half. Moments later she added a three-pointer to extend the lead to 49-26.
 
Also adding to the second-half scoring, Jasmine Bonivel added five points while her frontcourt mate, Madison Howdyshell finished with eight points, six in the fourth quarter.
 
When these two teams met in November at the Freeman Center, CNU turned the Bobcats over 29 times on their way to a 92-38 win. On Monday, Frostburg State succumbed to the Captains pressure and committed 32 turnovers. It is the eighth time this season that CNU has forced an opponent into 30 or more turnovers.
 
With Monday's game behind them, Bill Broderick's team will take to the road again on Wednesday when they play at Salisbury, one of two teams to beat CNU when they collected a 54-48 win in the Freeman Center on December 2.
 
Monday's win was the first of a three-game road swing in six days, a scheduling oddity after the Bobcats and Captains original matchup on January 23 was snowed out by winter storm Jonas. Following Wednesday's game at Salisbury, CNU returns to the road Saturday at Wesley.