NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Kiana Kirkland established a new career-high with 21 points, but the 14th-ranked Christopher Newport women's basketball team dropped a hard-fought 68-62 decision to No. 11 Messiah during a top-15 showdown on Saturday afternoon at the Freeman Center.
                                             
Against the Falcons, Kirkland scored 12 of her 21 points in the second half, including seven during the squad's fourth-quarter comeback bid. Her 21 total points equaled the most by a Captain against a nationally-ranked opponent since Camry Green dropped 22 against No. 18 Salisbury on February 4, 2015.
 
Along with Kirkland, Jessica Daguilh added 13 points and nine rebounds, while Bailey Hodges contributed five assists. Zhara Tannor also notched four steals during a gritty defensive effort by the senior guard.
 
With the setback, Christopher Newport falls to 6-1 overall. The victory bumps Messiah to 7-1.
 
In the early going, the Captains used some solid work on the defensive end to keep the high-powered Falcons in check. Kirkland and Daguilh disrupted early attempts down low, while Sondra Fan jumped a passing lane, swiped an errant feed, and went coast-to-coast for a fast break layup to cut CNU's deficit to two at 6-4. Shortly thereafter, Natalie Terwilliger drained a three before Fan added a putback in the paint, but Messiah used a late push to steal an eight-point lead at the end of the first quarter.
 
Whittling away at the deficit in the second, Kirkland found her rhythm. The junior knocked down a three before converting four straight free throws to pull Christopher Newport back within three at 22-19. On the very next possession, Jessica Foster stepped back and drained another shot from beyond the arc to even the score at 22.
 
That three was Foster's 14th of the season, marking the most by a Captain in the team's first seven games since Hall of Famer Chelsie Schweers landed 27 in the early part of the 2010-11 campaign.
 
Battling back, the visitors responded. Breaking the deadlock, Messiah scored six straight points before Kirkland answered with a pair of free throws. Still rolling, the Falcons tacked on seven of the final eight points in the first half to snatch a 35-25 advantage entering the break.
 
After halftime, the Captains started clawing their way back into the game. Seconds into the new stanza, Kirkland hit the hardwood and grabbed a loose ball before flipping it from her back to Madison Howdyshell, who capitalized for a layup. On the very next possession, Hodges found Howdyshell in the corner as the senior landed a long-range dagger to cut the squad's deficit down to 37-30.
 
Going to work on the inside, Kirkland continued the surge with a contested runner down low before Daguilh sank a pair of layups. Meanwhile, on the other end, Terwilliger sent back a Messiah shot on the interior before Phylicia McInnis played relentless defense and badgered a pair of Falcons during a lengthy possession to keep the visitors on their heels.
 
Although Messiah was able to gain an 11-point lead midway through the third quarter, Christopher Newport regrouped. Coming out of a break, McInnis converted a smooth inbounds play for an easy layup before Tannor drilled a three. On the other side, Julia Ng gave the squad solid minutes on the defensive end while staying on the hip of a Falcon in the post to contest several pointblank shots during a quiet stretch by Messiah. Capitalizing on the defensive intensity, Kirkland sank three straight free throws before Daguilh landed a last-second layup to pull within four at 50-46 entering the fourth quarter.
 
Kicking off the final stanza in style, Daguilh came through with another layup before Kirkland gave the Captains the lead. After a jumper evened the score at 50, Kirkland hit the court again during a scramble to help keep possession before taking advantage of her own hustle with a putback to snatch a 52-50 lead with eight minutes left in regulation.
 
Unfortunately, Messiah had a response. The visitors scored six straight and 11 of the next 14 points to grab a healthy 61-55 lead with five minutes remaining. Refusing to back down, Tannor continued her defensive efforts and blanketed a Falcon near half court to force a turnover with two minutes left. Later, she swiped another ball on the far side and drained a pair of free throws to knock the deficit back down to six, but the Falcons held up against the late push and stole the 68-62 triumph.
 
Tannor finished with five points to go along with her four steals, while Fan added seven points. Daguilh and Terwilliger both chipped in with two blocks apiece, and Kirkland tallied a pair of steals in addition to her offensive efforts.
 
Christopher Newport will return to action on Thursday when the Captains travel to N.C. Wesleyan for a 6 p.m. battle in Rocky Mount.
 
---CNU---