NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Capitalizing on another defensive masterpiece and a well-rounded assault on the offensive end, the second-ranked Christopher Newport women's basketball team extended its winning streak to 34 straight games while storming past Mary Washington, 72-50, on Saturday afternoon at the Freeman Center.

Breaking the game open in the second quarter, the Captains outscored the Eagles, 20-4, during the period while stretching a modest four-point lead into a comfortable 20-point cushion at halftime. Mary Washington's four points in the quarter equaled the lowest total by any opponent in a single period since St. Mary's (Md.) was held to three points in the opening frame of a league battle on February 12, 2020.

Headlining the team's work on the defensive end, Natalie Terwilliger matched her career-high with six blocks, which she previously accomplished only two weeks ago against the same Mary Washington squad in Fredericksburg on January 15. Incredibly, her total also equaled the most rejections by any Captain in a game since Kelly White swatted seven attempts against Ferrum on February 16, 2008.

In addition to her work on the defensive side, Terwilliger also chipped in with 14 points. Meanwhile, Anaya Simmons led the team with 15 points while connecting on seven of her nine attempts from the field. Gabbi San Diego and Jessica Foster each added 13 points as well.

After draining three shots from long range against the Eagles, Foster also bumped her total to 144 career three-pointers. That moved her into a tie with former legend Makenzie Fancher for the third-most in program history.

With the victory, Christopher Newport's 34-game winning streak now ranks as the 16th-longest roll in the history of Division III women's basketball. It also stands as the longest active run in the nation.

Overall, the Captains now sit at 17-0 on the season, while Mary Washington is 14-5.

Jumping out to a quick lead, the hosts secured a 13-6 advantage as Simmons found her groove with four early points, while San Diego and Foster both converted from deep. Later, Foster and Terwilliger teamed up to stretch the lead with a solid 30-second run. First, Foster found Terwilliger for a slick layup off an inbounds play with three minutes left in the period. Shortly thereafter, the two connected again as Foster slipped a dime to her teammate, who pulled up from beyond the arc for a three-pointer, which pushed the lead to 20-12.

Although Mary Washington used a late push to pull back within four at the end of the first quarter, Christopher Newport cruised in the second stanza. Simmons led the way as the junior scored six of the first seven points to secure a double-digit advantage at 33-22. Moments later, Foster beat the shot clock with a gorgeous floater in traffic to keep the momentum. Meanwhile, the Captains suffocated the Eagles on the defensive end while holding the opposition to just two baskets on 14 total shots during the period.

Helping out on the defensive end, Katy Rader notched a steal, while Alivia Giles cleaned the glass with four rebounds. Lexi White and Sondra Fan also hauled in three boards apiece during the quarter as the Captains kept Mary Washington from collecting any second-chance opportunities while building a 44-24 halftime lead.

Following the break, the Captains kept the Eagles at bay with early layups by Terwilliger and Simmons. The squad continued to capitalize on hustle plays as well, including a fantastic effort by Julia Hobbs midway through the quarter. Although the visitors were able to get their hands on a pass into the paint and dislodge the ball for a brief moment, Hobbs burst over to the baseline and went airborne. Showing off her athleticism, she collected the ball and fired it back into play before crashing down out-of-bounds.

Taking advantage of the hustle, Jovia Winkey quickly secured the ball and shoveled it to Foster, who landed another three-pointer to secure a 51-29 lead.

Later in the period, Hannah Kaloi added a layup, while Terwilliger came through with an old-fashioned three-point play to sustain a healthy 56-37 advantage entering the final 10 minutes of regulation.

Easing towards the victory, the Captains never let the Eagles pull back within single digits. San Diego took control with six quick points in the fourth quarter, including a driving layup that saw her blow right through the UMW defense. Foster and Phylicia McInnis also added a pair of three-pointers, while Terwilliger swatted back-to-back shots during a defensive showcase down low. Shortly thereafter, Hannah Orloff used a nice spin move and some fancy footwork to twirl past a defender for a layup before Giles added a chase-down block on the defensive end to punctuate the 72-50 win.

Overall nine Captains got into the scoring column, while Fan added a game-high six assists. On the other end, San Diego and Julia Ng had three steals apiece.

Christopher Newport will return to action on February 5 when the team heads into the Central Time Zone for a clash with Wheaton in Illinois.

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