MISENHEIMER, N.C. -- In a game that featured a pair of the nation's top pressure defenses, the nationally-ranked Christopher Newport women's basketball team earned a hard-fought 80-70 win on the road at Pfeiffer University (7-5). The Captains improved to 14-3 overall including a 7-1 record as the visiting team in 2025-26 after holding off a late push by the Falcons. 

The Captains led for over 36 minutes of game time and built a double-digit second-half advantage that grew to as many as 17 (70-53) in the fourth quarter, but needed to hold off a late push by the home team as Pfeiffer clawed back to within eight in the final two minutes. Defense ruled the day as the two teams forced 57 combined turnovers with Christopher Newport grabbing 17 steals and Pfeiffer adding 15. 

Four CNU players finished in double figures led by 15 points from Madison McKenzie on an efficient 6-for-10 shooting performance from the field. Mia Wilson and Jessica Dornak each added 13 points while McKenna Snively rounded out the top scoring efforts with 10 points in the game. 

Christopher Newport raced out to a 6-0 lead by hitting three of their first four shots in the opening quarter when McKenzie converted a pair of shots in the lane and Dornak added a short jumper. Three-point shooting kept the home team close with a pair of makes from beyond the arc while CNU continued to push the ball inside the paint. Wilson connected a layup and McKenzie added her third bucket in the first six minutes before Noelle Cabiness converted two at the line as CNU held onto an early lead. 

A 6-0 lead by Pfeiffer flipped the score in favor of the Falcons, 18-15, but rookie Sydney Richardson drilled a three-pointer off a feed from senior point guard Hailey Kellogg to answer the call. After a pair of free throws temporarily put Pfeiffer ahead again, Snively scored five of the last seven points in the quarter with Dornak adding two free throws to give CNU a five-point lead at the first break, 25-20. Snively beat the first quarter buzzer with a three-pointer, her 95th career make from long range, helping CNU surge with a 9-0 run. 

After the burst at the end of the first quarter, the Captains would not surrender the lead again, extending the roll to 16-3 with 7:18 remaining to take an 11-point lead, 34-23. Richardson knocked down another triple and Caitlin Crump capped the spurt with a tough layup. 

Pfeiffer clawed back to within one, 38-37, but the Captains closed out the first half on a 6-0 run to stake themselves to a seven-point lead at the intermission, 44-37. Again it was Snively triggering the momentum-shifting burst with a three-pointer with two minutes to go. She then added a block and a steal on the next two defensive possessions, and finished on the fast break for another layup. 

The Captains defense clamped down in the third quarter, holding the home team to just 4-of-15 shooting (.267) in the period. CNU forced eight turnovers and Cabiness led the defensive effort with a pair of steals in the third quarter while Kellogg and Sarah Pritz each added one. By the end of the third quarter, a three-pointer from Crump and a free throw by Dornak built the lead to 15 heading into the final ten minutes, 63-48. The CNU defense held Pfeiffer to just one made field goal in the final 5:58 of the third quarter while building up the lead. 

It proved imperative, as CNU matched Pfeiffer through the majority of the fourth quarter and still led by 15 with 3:47 remaining, 72-57. A quick 10-3 run by the home team trimmed the lead to just eight, 75-67, with 1:37 left, but CNU was solid defensively and knocked down enough at the free-throw line to hold on for the double-digit win, 80-70.

The Captains had a dominant advantage on the glass, hauling in 55 rebounds compared to just 35 for Pfeiffer. CNU hauled in 23 offensive rebounds including five for Sarah Pritz. Pritz finished with a game-high 10 rebounds to lead the way while Elizabeth Creed added seven rebounds and Crump had five. 

Following the victory, the nationally-ranked Captains will return home for a pair of games before hitting the road again. CNU will next take on Lehman College (7-6) at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 11 before welcoming in Salisbury University on Saturday, January 17 at 2:00 p.m.