WINCHESTER, Va. - No. 24 in the nation Christopher Newport
University kept its women's basketball record perfect on the season
with a 64-56 USA South Conference victory over homestanding
Shenandoah Wednesday evening.
The Captains (11-0, 4-0 USA South), who entered the
USA Today/WBCA rankings this week, led the entire way
against SU (5-5, 1-3), but had to hold as the hosts came
on strong in the second half.
Shenandoah, which found itself down 20 points after CNU scored
the opening bucket of the second half, fought back to make it a
close game late in the second.
The Hornets cut the deficit to four points with 3:33 to play
following a Mandy
Johnston jumper at the foul line, but could get no closer.
SU called timeout immediately following that Johnston bucket and
then forced a Captains turnover, but turned it over on its next
possessions and allowed CNU to ice the victory.
Christopher Newport hit its final six attempts from the
line and also had a Kimmy Hopkins turnaround jumper in the the
waning moments; the Captains eventually pushed their advantage out
to 10 points before Alexis
Hargbol scored the final two points of the game for the
hosts with a pair of free throws at the :06 mark.
Shenandoah needed the strong comeback after CNU raced out
to a 39-21 halftime lead on the strength of 51.6 percent shooting
(16 for 31) from the field in the opening 20 minutes. Jessica Moore
did most of the damage with 13 of her 17 points while Chelsie
Schweers added 10.
SU held Schweers, the league's leading scorer, in check for most
of the game. She finished with 16, but scored just two points in
the second half until making four free throws in the final 17
seconds of the contest.
Senior Katherine
Flint paced the Hornets second half efforts with 13 of her
career-high 24 coming after the break.
Johnston, who was held scoreless in the first, finished with 12
points.
Christopher Newport out-rebounded SU 43-31, including 31-11 on
the Hornets offensive end.
Shenandoah is back in action Saturday at N.C. Wesleyan in
another USA South Conference contest.
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