STEVENSON, Md. -- The Christopher Newport women's basketball team put together a formidable defensive performance on the road Sunday evening to capture the team's sixth win of the season. The Captains led by as many as 30 while holding Stevenson University to just 50 points in a 73-50 win.
With the victory, Christopher Newport improved to 6-3 overall while the host Mustangs fell to 2-3 this season. The Captains held Stevenson to just six first-quarter points and only nine scored in the third quarter while building a big second half advantage. It was the third time this season the Captains have held an opponent to 50 points or less and also the third game with at least 35 turnovers forced -- CNU forced 38 on Sunday.
Leading the charge for the stalwart defense were three Captains with four steals apiece as sophomores
Julia Ng and
Natalie Terwilliger were joined by rookie
Anaya Simmons. Senior
Kiana Kirkland and junior
Jasmine Norman each added three as well to help headline the 26-steal performance as a team. One theft shy of the team's season high, the Captains got steals from 12 different players in the game.
The Captains defense did a tremendous job limiting good opportunities in the first quarter as they held Stevenson to just 2-for-12 from the floor and scored just six points. Christopher Newport forced 11 turnovers and scored seven first-quarter points off of giveaways while mounting a double-digit lead. The opening run would extend three minutes into the second quarter as Christopher Newport opened up a 17-point advantage, 23-6, on a three-pointer by freshman
Jovia Winkey with 7:05 remaining in the quarter.
A free-throw and a layup by the Mustangs slowed the game-opening burst, but Ng laid in a bucket and Winkey delivered another after a steal to force a Stevenson timeout with the Captains ahead by 20 with 5:44 left in the first half, 29-9. A late three-pointer cut the lead to just 14 at the break, 38-24, but the Christopher Newport defense was in control.
The third quarter started with four points for the home team before the Captains ran away with the game with a 19-5 roll to build the advantage to a game-high 24 at the end of the stanza. After a layup by Winkey, she and sophomore
Phylicia McInnis hit back-to-back triples followed by a nice finish from Simmons to close on a 10-0 burst. The Captains coasted in the fourth quarter, building the lead to as many as 30 with 5:33 remaining, 66-36, before finishing out the win 73-50.
Three Captains finished in double figures led by Kirkland's 13 points.
Sondra Fan added 12 points, including a strong 7-for-8 from the free-throw line, and Winkey's perfect 4-for-4 effort from the floor saw the rookie end the night with 10 points. Terwilliger had nine points, four rebounds, and four steals off the bench while going 4-for-6 from the field.
Stevenson was led by Olivia Coleman with 14 points and 9 rebounds while Hannah Crist added 10 points for the Mustangs. Christopher Newport held the hosts to just 34.5% shooting (20-58) including a 26.7% effort from long range (4-15).
Next up for the Captains is a home game against Randolph-Macon College on Saturday, December 7 as Christopher Newport welcomes in the Yellow Jackets for a 2:00 p.m. tip.
