NEWPORT NEWS, VA --- The Royals led for all but the opening 1:13 of Tuesday's contest, as the basketball women controlled host Christopher Newport by a final of 74-54. It was a fantastic start to the second half of the season for Eastern Mennonite, as they improved to 7-2 with the non-conference win.
The game was a rematch of an NCAA Tournament First Round game from last spring, which CNU won 78-63. Realistically both teams were much different from their last meeting, with both graduating significant seniors. The Captains, now 7-4, were also without their center, Camry Green, who was averaging 13.8 points and 11.7 rebounds.
The bottom line is that the Royals simply out-played a team which has been to the NCAA Tournament for the past five years. EMU's women shot 49.1% from the floor, including 7-for-16 from three point range, while they held high-powered Christopher Newport to just 28.6% shooting, their second-lowest total of the year.
CNU scored the first bucket of the game, but Shakeerah Sykes (Dumfries, Va./Forest Park) tied the score at 2-2 on EMU's first possession. Alisa Brown (Dumfries, Va./Forest Park) then nailed a three pointer for the women's first lead at the 18:47 mark, and they never trailed again.
The Captains were within one at 16-15, but Eastern Mennonite hit four more triples over the final 10 minutes of the half and led 35-26 at intermission.
The Royals worked the ball inside to open the second and build the lead to 51-35 with 13:04 to go. But that's when CNU's pressure got to the women. Turnovers fueled a 15-3 run, which got the Captains to within 54-50 with 6:52 still to play.
Jess Rheinheimer (Manheim, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) then took over, scoring seven straight during an 11-0 streak to blow the cushion back to 65-50 with 3:22 left. CNU put in the next four points, but the Royals held them scoreless over the final 2:48 to win with their biggest margin of the day at 74-54.
Rheinheimer finished with a double double including a new career high in scoring. She was 10-16 from floor, including a trio of treys, going off for 29 points and 12 rebounds. Sykes was equally as destructive as she flirted with a triple double. The senior finished with 17 points, 10 rebounds and a career high eight assists. Sykes' previous best in assists had been three.
Brown finished with eight points and three assists, while Alicia Ygarza (Conestoga, Pa./Penn Manor) added four assists.
Jordan Miller led CNU with 12 points. Lauren Cox added 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Sam Porter had 11 rebounds and four steals, as CNU stayed competitive with 21 offensive boards.
The Royals return home this weekend, hosting Washington College of Maryland Saturday at 4:00pm.