FROSTBURG, Md. -- A strong first half showing led the way for the sixth-ranked Christopher Newport women's basketball team on Saturday afternoon,  running their season-opening win streak to 17 games with a 73-62 win at Frostburg State University (6-11, 4-6). The Captains matched the second longest winning roll in program history with the win, maintaining their spot atop the league standings with a perfect 17-0, 10-0 record. 

The Captains have now posted 17-game winning streaks in back-to-back seasons, as CNU posted a similar spurt through the end of the regular season last year.  The longest win streak in program history came in 2009-10 when the Captains won their first 30 games before falling in the NCAA Sweet 16 and finishing with a 30-1 record. 

On Saturday, the Captains shot 51.6% (16-31) in the first half, racing out to a game-high 18-point lead in the second quarter as they looked to blow out the Bobcats at home. In the second half, Frostburg State responded behind a tremendous performance from Sharyce Warren, getting back within six early in the fourth quarter, but CNU turned to their veteran front court leaders to respond and hold off the comeback for the 14th win of 10 points or more this season.

Junior Sam Porter continued her recent stellar play, pitching in a double-double against the Bobcats with a game-high 18 points and 11 rebounds. She again flirted with a triple-double, dishing out six assists while adding four steals for good measure. She was one of three Captains in double figures, joined by 15 from Makenzie Fancher and 13 out of junior forward Devon Byrd. Fancher, coming off a 20-point performance against Mary Washington, continued her hot shooting with four made three-pointers, and Byrd had an exceptionally efficient shooting night, knocking down 6-of-7 attempts from the field. 

The high-low passing combination of Sam Porter to Byrd and sophomore Jessica Daguilh was working early, as the Captains jumped out to 13-point lead in the first quarter. After falling behind early, 7-4, CNU blitzed out to the double digit lead with an 18-2 run, taking a 22-9 advantage with 1:40 remaining in the first quarter. The lead would grow to as many as 18 on back-to-back layups by Sam Porter late in the second quarter, and CNU carried a 16-point edge into the locker room, 40-24. 

In the third quarter, the Bobcats defense started to cause issues for CNU, forcing the Captains into a 23.8% (5-21) effort in the third quarter. The home team only cut into the lead by four points, though, as the Captains defense held pace with Frostburg State. It was early in the fourth that Warren caught fire, connecting on 4-of-7 shots, including a pair of tough three-pointers, for 10 points. She buried back-to-back triples to start the fourth quarter and cut CNU's 12-point lead all the way down to six at 52-46. 

Weathering the spurt, the Captains turned to Byrd and Porter to control the rest of the action. Both players converted three-point plays on two of the next three possessions for CNU, including a hard-fought and-one by Porter after two offensive rebounds. The Bobcats got it back to 10 once, 62-52, but Zhara Tannor nailed a deep three from the wing and Porter scored four more points to get the lead back to 17 with just over three and a half remaining. 

With a comfortable lead back in hand, the Captains coasted to the win, the 10th straight in conference play.  CNU dished 17 assists on 27 made field goals, including the six-dime performance by Porter. Tannor had three assists to go with four steals, seven points and three rebounds. 

For Frostburg State, Kirsten Rayner led the way with 15 points, while Sydney Stotler and Warren each ended the day with 14 points. The Bobcats shot 50% from the field, the highest percentage of any team against the Captains this season. 

CNU will now look ahead to back-to-back home games with matchups against Salisbury University and Penn State Harrisburg this week. The Captains first host the Sea Gulls on Wednesday, January 25 at 5:30 pm before taking on the Lions on Saturday, January 28 at 2:00 pm. The Saturday tilt is also Hall of Fame Day, when basketball alumna Chelsie Schweers will be indcuted into the CNU Athletics Hall of Fame during halftime of the men's game.