NEWPORT NEWS, VA – The York College women's basketball team ran into their second straight nationally ranked opponent as the tenth ranked Christopher Newport Captains used a huge third quarter to run away from the Spartans 76-64 in Capital Athletic Conference action on Sunday in Newport News, VA.

RECORDS

#10 Christopher Newport: 7-0, 3-0 CAC

York (Pa.): 5-3, 1-2 CAC

TEAM STATS

FG Shooting (%): York 21-for-58 (36.2%), CNU 26-for-71 (36.6%)

Three Point Shooting (%): York 3-for-20 (15.0%), CNU 9-for-20 (45.0%)

Free Throw Shooting (%): York 19-for-22 (86.4%), CNU 15-for-28 (53.6%)

Rebounding: York 40, CNU 49

Assists: York 12, CNU 17

Turnovers: York 26, CNU 21

Blocked Shots: York 8, CNU 5

Steals: York 11, CNU 19

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

• The first quarter was action packed and back and forth. The quarter featured four ties and three lead changes as both teams took turns being the aggressor in the period. York took an early 9-4 lead on a Brianna Bisci three pointer less than four minutes into the game. York pushed the lead to six at 15-9 on a Beth Wiseley bucket with 3:38 left in the quarter. The Captains would hit York with a 9-2 run to take an 18-17 lead with 44 seconds left in the period. Katie Wagner gave the Spartans a 19-18 lead heading to the second as she hit a driving lay up with 33 seconds left.

• The early part second quarter was much like the first as the teams went back and forth. The Spartans held a 32-28 lead on a pair of Bisci free throws with 4:07 left in the quarter. The Captains then fashioned a 15-5 run that covered the final four minutes of the half as CNU pushed out to a 43-37 halftime lead.

• The game went south for the Spartans early in the opening stages of the third quarter. The Captains began the third period with a 15-2 run over the opening 4:36 of the second half. Teamed with the run at the end of second quarter, Christopher Newport outscored the Spartans 30-7 over an eight-minute stretch bridging halftime. The run gave the Captains a 58-39 lead with 5:24 left in the period. The Captains would push the lead to 20 at 65-45 but the Spartans would cut the lead to 14 at 65-51 before the Captains got the final bucket of the quarter with seven seconds left in the period. The Captains finished the quarter with a 24-4 bulge in scoring.

• Much to the Spartans' credit, they didn't wilt in the fourth quarter as they battled themselves back into the game. After Bailey Dufrene opened the scoring with a three pointer to make the score 70-51, the Spartans went on an 11-2 run to cut their deficit to 10 at 72-62. Bisci had five points on the run. Unfortunately for the Spartans, the third quarter hole proved to be too much to overcome as they dropped the 12 point loss, their second straight setback, both coming to nationally ranked squads.

SPARTAN LEADERS

Morgan Kuehne: 15 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals

Katie Wagner: 13 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal

Sam Hruz: 8 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 blocked shots, 3 steals

Brianna Bisci: 9 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals

CAPTAIN LEADERS

Jessica Daguilh: 15 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocked shots, 3 steals

Anitra Thomas: 15 points, 1 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal

Sam Porter: 13 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 steals

Makenzie Fancher: 9 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals

Bailey Dufrene: 9 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocked shots, 3 steals

GAME NOTES

The Spartans have now lost three straight to the Captains with all three games coming at the Freeman Center … The Captains lead the all-time series with York 7-5 including 6-4 in games as conference foes … The Spartans were brilliant from the free throw line as they converted a season-high 86.4% from the line, hitting 19-of-22 from the stripe … the 19 free throws were a season-high for York, besting their previous high by six (13 FTM @ Harrisburg) … the Spartans have committed a combined 50 turnovers in their last two games … CNU turned York's 26 miscues into 36 points … York was outrebounded by a season-high nine caroms as York has been outrebounded in their last three games … York is now 0-3 when trailing at the half … York's three losses have come by 11 (UMW), 12 (CNU), and 13 (Eastern) points … conversely, York's margin of victory in their five wins is 24.4 points … York has reached double figures in steals in their last three games as they have a combined 36 steals in their last three games … York blocked eight shots as they now have five games with six or more blocked shots in a game … The Spartans held CNU to 36.6% shooting from the floor as the Captains are the seventh opponent to shoot under 38% from the floor against York … CNU's nine three pointers are a season-high against the Spartans, York had entered the game allowing just 2.7 three pointers per game … senior Sam Hruz blocked another five shots as she now has 205 for her career … Hruz is now 206 points away from 1,000 for her career … Hruz had her double digit rebounding streak broken at five games after recording nine rebounds in the game … Brianna Bisci's nine points were a season high for the senior … Morgan Kuehne reached double figures for the third straight game and the fifth time this year … Katie Wagner notched double figures for the fifth time this year as well … the loss was the Spartans' first on the road as they are now 3-1 away from the Grumbacher Center … the loss was also the first when York had more made free throws than an opponent as they are now 3-1 when that happens.

UP NEXT

The Spartans return to action on Wednesday evening as they will host Wesley College in a Capital Athletic Conference contest at Charles Wolf Gymnasium. Tip time is scheduled for 6:00 pm and will be the Spartans final game before the start of the York College holiday break.   

Morgan Kuehne photo courtesy of David Sinclair Photography