Women's Basketball Fends Off Marymount, 54-52

NEWPORT NEWS, VA - Christopher Newport's women's basketball team held off a late rally by Marymount for a 54-52 win over the Saints.

It was the first win for the Lady Captains against Marymount since November 30, 2002 when CNU defeated the Saints, 64-53.

CNU led by as many as seven in the second half, 35-28, with 18:06 left on a lay-up by Samantha Davis. The Saints would keep the score close and even take the lead with 3:51 remaining on two free throws by Stephanie Witko.

The lead would last for all of 23 seconds as the Lady Captains, on the very next possession, got a big bucket in the lane by Colandra Rollins, who was fouled on the make. She hit the free throw and gave CNU a 50-48 lead, one that it would not relinquish.

Trailing 52-50, the Saints rebounded a CNU miss and came down the floor and Kacee Grogan hit a turn-around jumper in the lane with 18 seconds left in the game. After the Lady Captains got past mid-court, CNU Head Coach Carolyn Hunter called a time out. After the break, Shantel Burwell drove baseline and drained a wrap-around lay-up with three seconds to go. The Saints half-court attempt to win the game was fired off after the buzzer had sounded.

Both teams got off to an abysmal start in the first half. The two teams combined to go 0-for-18 to start the game. The Lady Captains missed their first seven shots and didn't connect until Candace Bryant's bucket with 15:44 left in the first half. Marymount missed its first 11 shots and didn't record a field goal until the 12:10 mark on Tara Eddy's lay-up.

The Saints were just 17-of-60 (28%) from the field, 3-of-11 (27%) from behind the arc and 15-of-19 (79%) from the free throw line. Christopher Newport shot 20-of-64 (31%) from the floor, 1-of-6 (17%) from long range and 13-of-17 (77%) from the line.

Marymount was led by Witko's 15 points and 13 rebounds. Tara Eddy added nine points, seven boards and four steals.

CNU was paced by Nikki Rowland's 14 points, five rebounds and three steals. Rollins contributed 12 points and seven rebounds off the bench.

Both teams evened their records at 2-2. The Lady Captains return to action next Saturday as they host Mary Baldwin with tip set for 5 pm.

Box Score