RALEIGH, N.C. -- The first career 20-point performance for rookie
Anaya Simmons was not enough to counter a hot shooting performance from William Peace University (4-1) on Wednesday night as the 25th-ranked Christopher Newport women's basketball team fell on the road, 82-68. Simmons was 8-for-14 from the floor and finished with a team-best 20 points in the game.
Christopher Newport fell to 4-2 on the season with the loss, snapping a three-game winning streak. The Captains stout defense forced 23 turnovers but the Pacers converted the chances they got at a 50.8% (30-59) clip and pulled away from Christopher Newport in the middle two quarters.
The Captains gave up an early lead but surged ahead at the end of the first quarter when Simmons converted a three-point play and
Sondra Fan closed the opening frame with a beautiful bucket up-and-under a defender with spin off the window. Christopher Newport closed the opening stanza on a 7-0 run and carried that momentum into the second quarter with layups from
Kiana Kirkland and
Natalie Terwilliger to make it an 11-2 burst. That run would build the Captains lead to eight, 28-20, before the lid closed over the rim as the shooting woes in the second quarter saw Christopher Newport hit just three of 21 attempts from the floor.
On the other side, William Peace caught fire and flipped the scoreboard headed into the locker room by winning the second quarter, 18-8. The lead at the break was 36-32, but it was an edge the home team would manage to add to in the third quarter. The Captains scored sjx of the first eight points in the third, all by Simmons, but Peace answered with a 13-2 run to establish control of the lead.
Sydney Austin led the way off the bench for the Pacers, scoring 25 points on 8-of-13 shooting, while Lauryn Cross added 20 points as well. Peace had four players in double figures and Mikayla Ray just missed a double-double with 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 blocks.
Simmons, Kirkland and Terwilliger were the double figure scorers for Christopher Newport as they combined for 18 of the Captains' 26 made field goals in the game. Simmons was 8-for-14 with one three-pointer and a perfect 3-for-3 performance at the line while adding five rebounds and two steals. Terwilliger knocked down 6-of-15 attempts for 12 points while grabbing a team-high six boards. Kirkland finished with 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists.
The Captains shot 29.5% (26-88) in the game and struggled from beyond the arc with just two makes in 30 attempts. Christopher Newport excelled at the free-throw line, knocking down 87.5% (14-16) and out-rebounded William Peace, 50-44.
Returning to the capital city of North Carolina this weekend, Christopher Newport will look to bounce back at Meredith College on Saturday, November 23 at 3:00 pm.
