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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Making history as only the fifth NCAA Division III program to ever reach seven consecutive Sweet Sixteens, the top-ranked Christopher Newport women's basketball team will continue it's undefeated ride into next weekend following a 65-55 win over Elizabethtown (23-5) on Saturday night. The Captains improved to 28-0 with another balanced effort led by graduate guard Sondra Fan with 13 points. 

Under the direction of head coach Bill Broderick in his tenth season, the Captains have advanced to the Round of 16 in all nine NCAA Tournament appearances including an active streak of seven straight. CNU joins an exclusive group of only five NCAA Division III programs to ever put together a run of seven or more consecutive sectional round appearances -- Southern Maine (1987-93 -- 7 straight), Bowdoin (2001-07 -- 7 straight), Amherst (2008-22 -- 14 straight), and Tufts (2012-present -- 11 straight). 

Helping lift Christopher Newport to four of those seven straight Sweet 16 appearances is Fan, who played in her final home game at the Freeman Center on Saturday night. The Poquoson, Va. native kicked the game off with a bang, burying the first of four first-half three-pointers to give CNU a 5-3 lead they would surrender only once in the game for a span of just 16 seconds. Led by the all-time great, Christopher Newport has run off 40 straight wins at home and wrapped up Fan's career with a 43-1 all-time record in home games. 

The latest came against a nationally-ranked Elizabethtown squad that finished the year with 23 wins after the setback to the Captains. It was CNU's ninth straight NCAA Tournament win at the Freeman Center and wrapped up the 2022-23 campaign with a perfect season at home for the third straight year (11-0). 

The Blue Jays hung with the Captains through the bulk of the first quarter, but a 9-0 burst over the final 1:24 pushed the Captains ahead by nearly double-digits. With a 15-all tie, Fan hit back-to-back three pointers and then Katy Rader beat the buzzer with a third to send CNU into the second quarter with a more comfortable 24-15 advantage. Rader then hit another triple to start the second, making it a 12-0 run in total, and Christopher Newport led by double figures for the first time in the game. 

A three-pointer by Elizabethtown momentarily slowed the Captains run, but Fan knocked down another over the Blue Jays zone defense and Gabbi San Diego followed with a bucket from beyond the arc as well. CNU sank seven three-pointers in the opening half, shooting 50 percent from deep, helping lead the home team to a 38-29 advantage at the break. 

CNU used a dominant start to the third quarter to pull away from Elizabethtown including a 13-2 burst that gave the Captains an 18-point lead at the 3:21 mark, 51-33. Capping the run was a beautiful feed from Fan to Alivia Giles on the run. Hannah Orloff secured the defensive rebound and slipped a short pass to Fan on the left -- the veteran peeked up court and found her teammate ahead of the defense for the two. Moments later, another momentum-grabbing play came on an exceptional feed by San Diego to Camille Malagar on the break. Again the pass came over the top and Malagar finished through contact for the three-point play. 

Malagar's trifecta gave CNU a 19-point lead, 56-37, heading into the final minute of the third quarter. It would grow to as many as 21 in the fourth on a layup by Hannah Kaloi, making it 61-40, before Elizabethtown chipped away as the Captains drained the clock. 

Fan led CNU with 13 points while adding five rebounds, five assists, and a couple of steals. Rader hauled in a career-high and game-high 10 rebounds while adding six points for the Captains. San Diego was the only other player in double figures for CNU, scoring 10 points on 3-of-6 shooting while adding six assists and a steal. Rounding out the starting lineup, Kaloi and Malagar each finished with nine points. 

Off the bench, Lauren Fortescue poured in eight points on 3-of-4 shooting and Hannah Orloff nad an impressive six points, seven rebounds, and three blocks while playing 19 minutes in the front court. 

Elizabethtown got 16 points, eight rebounds from Jessica King and 14 points out of Summer McNulty.

Christopher Newport will next face Wartburg College, ranked No. 24 in the nation, in the Round of 16 at a host site yet to be determined. The Captains will play the Knights on Friday, March 10 with game times to be announced. Stay tuned to CNUsports.com for more details.