NEWPORT NEWS, Va. --- The quest for a conference championship begins Tuesday evening as the Christopher Newport women's basketball team hosts eighth-seeded St. Mary's (Md.) in the opening round of the 2019 Capital Athletic Conference Championship Tournament. .CNU tips at 6:00 pm against the Seahawks before the Captains' men's team also hosts quarterfinal action at 8:00 pm. 

Under the direction of head coach Bill Broderick, the Captains won six straight games to conclude the regular season and clinch the team's second CAC regular season title. Christopher Newport won the top seed outright with convincing, double-digit victories in each of their last six games.

Christopher Newport improved to 20-5 overall and will take on a St. Mary's (Md.) squad with a 7-18 overall mark. The Captains swept the regular season series with the Seahawks, winning at home 103-59 before holding on for a 65-55 victory on the road.

Heading into the quarterfinal round, the Captains are led by senior Jessica Daguilh and junior Kiana Kirkland. Daguilh is the only player to start all 25 gams this season and the senior forward is knocking down over 55% of her attempts from the field. She is pouring in 10.8 points and grabbing 7.2 rebounds per game while also shooting a career-best 61.2% from the free-throw line. Kirkland leads the team in scoring with 11.5 points per game and the junior also ranks second on the team in steals, with 46. 

For St. Mary's (Md.), the Seahawks are led by junior Gina Seifert with 10.5 points per game. Seifert was tabbed the CAC Women's Basketball Player of the Week earlier this season and is shooting a team-best 45.8% from the floor. Senior Katie Robey is averaging 34.0 minutes per game and is scoring nearly 9 points per game. 

For fans unable to attend the game live at the Freeman Center, live stats and a live video webcast will be available online at CNUsports.com.