NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Taking on a team ranked in the top-20 according to the D3hoops.com Preseason National Rankings, the third-ranked Christopher Newport women's basketball team captured a 13-point win on Sunday afternoon against No. 18 Elizabethtown (3-1) in the Captains Round Robin Classic finale. Four CNU players finished in double figures including a second straight double-double by Alivia Giles with 15 points and 12 rebounds to lead the way as Christopher Newport captured a 81-68 win. 

The offense was firing on all cylinders in the Freeman Center victory, shooting over 50 percent for the game (33-65) as the Captains picked up the team's 43rd consecutive home win. Senior guard Camille Malagar led the way in the scoring column with 17 points while Giles, McKenna Snively, with 13, and rookie Caitlin Crump, with 10, rounded out the quartet of double-figure scorers. 

The nationally-ranked showdown featured a competitive first quarter that was back-and-forth until the Captains used a 9-0 run at the end of the quarter to take a 22-15 lead into the first break. Malagar snared a steal and a fast-break runout and then Gabbi San Diego found Crump for a three-pointer on the next offensive possession to give the Captains a five-point lead. After another miss by the Blue Jays, Giles worked herself free for a jumper with just over a minute left in the first quarter to take a 22-15 edge into the second quarter. 

From there, the Captains never looked back as Elizabethtown closed to three early in the second stanza, 22-19, but another quick burst led by Malagar with six straight points rebuild the lead to nine. With 4:53 left in the first half, Snively found Hailey Kellogg open for a triple and the lead reached double digits, 37-27. 

The teams matched eachothers offensive output in the second half as both scored 15 in the third quarter and 22 in the fourth. That allowed CNU to coast to a 13-point win after heading into the locker room up 44-31. The CNU lead ballooned to as many as 17 in the third quarter when Giles converted a free-throw to make it 52-35. 

Giles and Snively, who hit a trio of triples in the game, were named to the Round Robin Classic All-Tournament team. Giles finished the weekend with a pair of double-doubles and wrapped up the game against Elizabethtown with a 6-for-8 shootin performance. Her game-high 12 rebounds paired with 14 against East Texas Baptist give her 26 in the tournament. 

Coming off the bench and playing just 16 minutes, senior point guard Gabbi San Diego had a standout performance as well, dishing nine assists without committing a single turnover. She added four points on 2-of-2 shooting from the floor while helping command the Captains' offense. 

Christopher Newport will take a short break for the Thanksgiving holiday before returning to action next Sunday, November 26 against Greensboro College in the final home game of the 2023 calendar year. Tip against the Pride is set for 2:00 p.m. 

 Captains Round Robin Classic All-Tournament Team
Alivia Giles, Chris. Newport
McKenna Snively, Chris. Newport
Payton Hicks, East Texas Baptist
Michaela James, East Texas Baptist
Summer McNulty, Elizabethtown
Jessica King, Elizabethtown