Box Score NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia -- Using stifling defense and a balanced attack, the Christopher Newport women's basketball team ran its undefeated record to 5-0, 2-0 in the USA South with a 70-55 win over Piedmont College Sunday afternoon. The Lions fall to 4-3, 0-2, as CNU forced 30 turnovers and scored 30 points off of takeaways.

The Captains opened the game with suffocating defense to take an early double-digit lead. Just 4:10 into the game, CNU had raced out to an 11-0 lead while allowing just one field goal attempt and forcing six turnovers with four steals. Despite the early surge, a 12-3 Piedmont run found the visiting team right back into the game down just two, 14-12, with 10:19 left in the first half.

As quick as the Lions had closed within one possession, the Captains responded with a huge run to finish out the half. In the final 8:51 of the first half, CNU built a big 19-point buffer with a 27-11 surge.

At halftime, the Captains led 45-26 and held a dominant advantage in rebounding, with a 29-17 edge overall, including 18 on the offensive end.

In the second half, Christopher Newport built the lead to as many as 23, but the final ten minutes saw Piedmont chip away at the lead, closing to within ten at 65-55 with 2:13 remaining on the clock. That would be as close as the Lady Lions would get, though, as CNU locked down with two steals and solid free-throw shooting down the stretch to hold off the comeback. 

Piedmont outscored CNU in the second half, 29-25, but the Captains maintained their solid advantage on the glass. For the game, Christopher Newport held a 54-33 edge in rebounding, hauling in 26 offensive rebounds. All ten players that saw game action for CNU had at least one rebound, while four players had at least eight in the game.

Piedmont got double figure scoring from three players, as Kiki Thompson and MARY KATE RUSHTON each had 11, while CHANDLER ALVERSON added 10. LAUREN HAMEL, PC's leading scorer, was held to a season-low eight points marking the first time the junior guard was not able to reach double-figures in scoring.

Tia Perry led CNU with a game-high 17 points.

Piedmont will take an extended holiday break before returning to action on December 29 with a short road trip to Atlanta to face #19 Emory University.