SCRANTON, Pa. -- Saddled with the tough task of playing on the road in the NCAA Sectional round against the host school for the fourth consecutive season, the Christopher Newport women's basketball team gave the ninth-ranked University of Scranton Lady Royals all they could handle in Friday night's Sweet 16 matchup, but the home team survived by a final score of 57-56. The Captains conclude their season with a 25-6 overall record after holding the lead for the majority of the contest against Scranton before succumbing to the sectional semifinal setback. 

Playing in front of a packed house with attendance listed at 1,800 in the John Long Center, the Captains' silenced the home crowd in the first half by taking a double-digit lead. With unrelenting defensive pressure, the Captains Chaos forced eight turnovers in the opening quarter as the Captains built the early lead. Rookie Natalie Terwilliger sparked the CNU offense off the bench, buring a pair of three-pointers to put the Captains in front with a lead they would not relinquish until the fourth quarter. 

Scranton started the game with a 6-3 lead through the first five minutes, but the tormenting CNU defense started to force turnovers and CNU's success on the boards led to a 14-0 run into the second quarter. Terwilliger's back-to-back triples put CNU in front, 9-6, to start the run, and the freshman added a nifty take to the basket as well. Zhara Tannor and Jasmine Norman each converted two at the line and Kiana Kirkland capped the run to put the Captains ahead by a game-high 11 with 9:35 left in the second quarter, 17-6. 

The CNU defense held Scranton without a point for the final 5:25 of the first quarter and an additional 1:36 in the second. The Captains' struggles close to the basket, though, stymied their chance to add to the first-half lead. CNU shot just 27.3% (9-33) in the first half, including just 6-of-22 from inside the arc. Still, the defense led the Captains to a four-point halftime lead, 28-24, powered by Terwilliger's 15 first-half points. 

Out of the locker rooms, the Captains were able to keep Scranton at arms length throughout the third quarter, answering each of the home team's baskets and holding the four-point edge headed into the final ten minutes. At the end of the third, CNU missed a pair of shots but the offensive rebounding continued to be impressive for the Captains, as senior forward Jessica Daguilh knocked down the stickback and was fouled. She converted the free-throw for the traditional three-point play, and CNU led, 44-40, headed to the fourth quarter. 

Scranton scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to take their first lead since it was 6-3 when Taylor Rodriguez finished through a foul with 8:01 remaining. CNU went back to their hot hand on the next play, however, as Zhara Tannor inbounded to Terwilliger at the free-throw line and the freshman buried the jumper to teeter back in front. At halfcourt, Tannor grabbed a steal and CNU went up by three on another Terwilliger basket. 

Then came a momentum-shifting three-pointer on a cross-court pass from Bridgett Mann to Taylor Rodriguez. The game-tying triple from Rodriguez came with 6:37 remaining and the home crowd was back behind the Lady Royals for the home stretch. CNU took the lead for the last time on a driving layup by Jasmine Norman, making it 50-48. Scranton notched back-to-back buckets to teeter back in front and then Kiana Kirkland converted a pair of free-throws to tie the game again, at 52-all. 

With three minutes remaining, a 5-0 turn by the home team gave the Lady Royals the game-winning points on a bucket by Makenzie Mason and a three-pointer from Mann. CNU's defense held Scranton empty over the final two minutes of game action, but could not re-take the lead. Sondra Fan finished on a nice backdoor cut to pull back within three and Daguilh buried both of her free-throw attempts to claw back within one with less than a minute remaining.

After a foul by the Captains, the Lady Royals had a one-point lead and the ball with just over 28 seconds remaining. Scranton would bleed all of the clock down before taking, and missing, a shot, before making what might have been a monumental mistake as they fouled Tannor on the rebound. It would prove not to be for the Captains, though, as the senior point guard just missed on both attempts as Scranton escaped with a one-point win. Prior to the final two shots, the Captains had buried 18-of-20 free-throws in the game. 

Terwilliger's 19 points were a game-high and a career best in her first year with the Captains. She was 8-for-14 from the floor and added three blocked shots and a pair of steals on the defensive end. Daguilh fell just shy of a double-double with 11 points and 9 rebounds while senior Madison Howdyshell led the impressive rebounding performance with 10 boards. CNU outrebounded Scranton, 37-31, while hauling in 15 offensive rebounds. 

Scranton was led by Mason with a double-double, scoring 18 points with 10 rebounds. Bridgette Mann added 17 points while Sofia Recupero had 9 points and 8 assists for the Lady Royals. 

Scranton will advance to face No. 4 Tufts in Saturday's sectional final. 

Christopher Newport concludes another sensational season under seventh-year head coach Bill Broderick. In six appearances in the NCAA Tournament over the last seven years, the Captains are 15-6 with no dance ending before the second weekend. The Captains have reached the Final Four once, Elite Eight once, and have finished in the Sweet 16 four times. 

The three seniors, Jessica Daguilh, Madison Howdyshell, and Zhara Tannor, accomplished something never before done in CNU women's basketball history by reaching the NCAA Tournament all four years of their career. Daguilh wraps her career ranked 7th all-time in career field goal percentage (.520) while Tannor is one of only four players in program history to score 600 points, dish 300 assists, and grab 250 steals. She finished with 702 points, 340 assists, and 263 steals. Howdyshell played in 108 games in her career and set career highs this season with 3.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game. 

During this season, the Captains eclipsed 800 career wins as a program while improving to 173-37 under Broderick for a winning percentage of 82.4%. CNU won the regular season and tournament championships in the Capital Athletic Conference and made their 20th NCAA Tournament appearance. 

Video Highlights
 

Post Game Press Conference