BRIDGEWATER, Va. -- In the opening game of the 2016-17 season, the trademark stifling defense of the nationally-ranked Christopher Newport women's basketball team appeared in midseason form. The Captains (1-0), who ranked fourth nationally in turnovers forced last season, frustrated Bridgewater College (0-1) all night in a 67-47 victory on the road. 

Defensively, the Captains were suffocating in the first half, forcing 24 turnovers and creating takeaways in a variety of ways. CNU jumped passing lanes, forced mistakes on double-teams, and used a fast-paced full-court press to stymie the Bridgewater attack. 

Junior Sam Porter led all scorers with 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting, while adding seven rebounds and four steals. Rookies Micah Maloney and Kiana Kirkland finished second on the team with nine points, closing out a pair of strong collegiate debuts. 

Both teams struggled from the field in the first quarter, but the Captains' defense and impressive effort on the offensive glass helped tip the scales in favor of the visiting team. The Captains forced 12 turnovers in the first ten minutes while grabbing 10 offensive rebounds. CNU scored six second-chance points in the quarter, helping extend the early lead. 

After shaking off a slow start, CNU built a 24-6 advantage into the middle of the second quarter. The defense never let up in the first half, allowing just two made field goals in 18 attempts for a shooting percentage of just 11.1%. At the break, the Captains led the Eagles, 35-13, after allowing just six points in the first quarter and seven in the second. 

It was the second best defensive half for the Captains since the NCAA shifted the women's game to quarters last season; CNU held Mary Washington to just eight points on February 10 of last season. Junior point guard Makenzie Fancher led the defense with seven steals in the game, while adding five points and three assists in a team-high 20 minutes played. Fancher led a group of six different players who finished the game with multiple thefts. 

With a big lead in the second half, head coach Bill Broderick was able to extend the length of his bench, getting all 17 players dressed for the game into the contest. Fifteen Captains ended up in the scoring column, including the two strong rookie performances. 

After getting out to a game-high 30-point lead in the third quarter, at 55-25, the defense softened slightly, allowing Bridgewater to get into a rhythm in the final frame. The Eagles scored 20 of their 37 points in the last ten minutes, leading to the final tally of 67-47. 

Christopher Newport finished the game with 36 turnovers forced, scoring 32 points off of the Bridgewater mistakes. CNU picked up 22 steals and seven blocked shots, while managing to protect the ball themselves to the tune of just 13 turnovers. 

CNU will stay on the road for game two this weekend, taking on another Old Dominion Athletic Conference foe in Eastern Mennonite University. The game is scheduled for Saturday, November 19 with tip set for 5:00 pm at the Yoder Arena in Harrisonburg, Va. EMU will be opening their season against the Captains.