BUENA VISTA, Va. -- Taking on the lone unbeaten team remaining in the Capital Athletic Conference, the Christopher Newport women's basketball team opened up a 14-point lead in the first half at Southern Virginia (14-1, 5-0), but the Knights came from behind to earn the program's first ever win over a nationally-ranked opponent with a 58-54 victory over the Captains. CNU falls to 12-4 overall and 3-2 in conference action after the first setback to SVU in 16 all-time meetings. 

The first-place Knights outscored the Captains 20-11 in the final quarter, including a stretch holding CNU to just two points for over six minutes of action. Christopher Newport led by nine with 8:45 left in regulation on a layup by Natalie Terwilliger that made it 47-38, but Southern Virginia closed on a 20-7 run to cap a comeback win. 

Rookie Julia Ng led the Captains with her first career double-double, scoring 14 points and grabbing a career-high 10 rebounds in the loss. She added five steals in 34 minutes of action but was the only CNU player in double figures in the contest. 

A poor shooting performance plagued the Captains in the loss, as CNU was held to just 25.4% shooting (17-67) from the field including a 13% effort from beyond the arc (3-23). Despite the struggles from the field, CNU held the advantage for most of the game, jumping out to an eight-point lead in the first quarter, 18-10, and extending to as many as 14 with 6:16 left in the first half on a layup by Kiana Kirkland. 

Southern Virginia stole the momentum at the end of the second quarter with a late flourish that trimmed CNU's double-digit lead to just five, 33-28, heading into the locker room. Bryndie Ballam hit a pair of layups while Cory Stout and Katie Garrish each dropped in a free-throw while the Captains were held scoreless in the final three minutes of the half. 

The Knights continued the run into the third quarter, scoring the first five points to knot the game at 33, but CNU quickly responded. Phylicia McInnis converted a tough fast-break layup off a steal by Sondra Fan and then hit a three-pointer from the corner to get CNU back in front by five. Ng and Terwilliger scored back-to-back layups to start the fourth quarter to extend the lead back to nine before the game-winning roll by the Knights. 

Leading the charge for the home team in front of an electric crowd was Alexus Barnes, who finished with a game-high 19 points. She hit a three-pointer and then a mid-range jumper to pull the Knights within three in the final three minutes. After the Knights took the lead, Barnes had the final two buckets in the last 30 seconds to seal the win and send the bench and fans scurrying onto the court in celebration. 

This week's USBWA National Player of the Week and four-time CAC Player of the Week Katie Garrish was hampered with foul trouble but still played 33 minutes and finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds on 6-of-10 shooting from the floor. All but six points came from the starting five for SVU, who also got nine points from Ballam and nine from Savanna Christensen. 

CNU was led by Ng's double-double while Terwilliger finished with nine points on 4-of-8 shooting. Jessica Foster dished six assists on CNU's 17 made baskets. 

Christopher Newport returns to action this Saturday, January 19 against Penn State Harrisburg at 2:00 pm. The Captains will host the Lions at the Freeman Center as part of a CAC doubleheader.