ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. -- Led by a pair of freshmen guards on the road Thursday night, the nationally-ranked Christopher Newport women's basketball team improved to 7-1 overall this season with a 100-61 victory at N.C. Wesleyan College (1-6). Rookies Jessica Foster and Sondra Fan notched new personal highs in their young careers with 21 and 19 points, respectively, as CNU reached triple digits for the second time this season and 15th time in program history. 

Foster buried five three-pointers while shooting 70% from the floor (7-10) in Thursday night's non-conference bout against the Battling Bishops, becoming the first freshman to score 20 points in a game since teammate Jessica Daguilh poured in 21 against Mary Washington on February 25, 2016. Her five treys are also the most by a rookie since 2015-16 when Brooke Basinger hit as many against St. Mary's (Md.) on February 17, 2016. 

After scoring 100 points in a game only eight times in the first 42 seasons of women's basketball, the Captains torrid offense has been dangerous under head coach Bill Broderick, registering another seven 100-point performances during his tenure since the start of the 2013-14 season. It is the second time the Captains have eclipsed the lofty mark this season after posting 102 points against Bridgewater last week. 

The Captains would use a lopsided second-half to run away from the Bishops on Thursday, turning an 11-point halftime lead into a 39-point victory. CNU and N.C. Wesleyan were locked in a high-scoring battle in the first quarter, as the Captains took a 28-24 lead after the first ten minutes. Sondra Fan was red-hot in the opening quarter, scoring 13 of her 19 points in the first stanza. She was 5-for-8 from the field and 3-for-4 from the free-throw line. Two Captains managed double figures in the first quarter as senior Zhara Tannor was 2-for-2 from the field and made six of eight free-throws for a 10-point effort. 

The hot shooting subsided for both teams in the second quarter, but the Captains held the upper-hand by getting Foster going. The rookie knocked down her first two triples of the game and led the quarter with 8 points. On the defensive end, CNU forced nine turnovers and held the Bishops to just 23.5% shooting in the second quarter on 4-of-17 shooting. 

The game was mostly close through the first half, as CNU held a double-digit lead only for 12 seconds. The Bishops cut the lead to two, with 5:24 remaining in the second quarter, 33-31, before a 12-3 burst to end the half, including a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Jasmine Norman, sent the Captains to the locker room with momentum and an 11-point edge, 45-34. 

The CNU defense held the home team to just 27 points in the second half while scoring 24 in the third quarter and 31 in the fourth to run away with the win. The stifling defensive unit forced 31 turnovers and grabbed 17 steals in the game, while holding N.C. Wesleyan to just 36.5% shooting (27-74). 

Foster was scoreless in the third quarter but torched the nets in the fourth. The rookie guard went 4-for-4 from the field with a flurry of three triples for 13 points. She added three rebounds and an assist for the Captains in the final stanza as CNU built the final advantage. The starting five scored only one of CNU's 31 points in the quarter as the bench scoring included six from Natalie Terwilliger and five from Phylicia McInnis. 

CNU finished the game shooting 45.5% from the floor including a 55% fourth quarter (11-20). The Captains narrowly out-rebounded the Bishops, 49-48, and knocked down 9-of-18 three-pointers in the contest. 

Foster becomes the seventh different Captain to lead the team in scoring over the course of the team's first eight games. Her 21 points ties Kiana Kirkland's season- and career-best performance in the Captains last game against Messiah for the team's best individual output this season. 

CNU will return to action at home against William Peace University on Sunday, December 16. Game time is scheduled for 2:00 pm against the Pacers.