YORK, Pa. -- A lopsided second-half proved to be the difference on Saturday afternoon as the 22nd-ranked Christopher Newport women's basketball team suffered just it's third league loss of the season in a 65-58 final at York College of Pennsylvania (9-10, 4-4). The Captains scored just 13 second-half points as the Spartans came from behind to knock off nationally-ranked CNU, who falls to 14-5 overall and 5-3 in league play. 

At the end of the first half, the Captains were on pace for 90 points with a 45-32 lead over the Spartans. The most potent offense in the CAC and one of the top units in the nation managed just nine points in the third and only four points in the fourth quarter while shooting 20.7% from the field (6-29). The two halves were markedly different as CNU shot 57.6% (19-33) in the first half including 60% (6-10) from behind the three-point line. 

Both teams got off to hot starts, as York also shot over 46% from the floor in the first half on 12-of-26 shooting. CNU outscored the Spartans by only two, 22-20, after the first ten minutes featured a high-powered offensive showdown. Junior Kiana Kirkland led the way for the Captains with seven points on 3-of-5 shooting, while the starting lineup combined for 19 of the 22 first-quarter points. 

Defensively, rookie Sondra Fan burst out of the gate with five steals in the opening frame, as CNU scored 12 points off turnovers against the Spartans in the first ten minutes. Madison Howdyshell added one and Kirkland also had a steal in the first. 

The second quarter saw CNU pull away a bit with a dominant performance on the glass. CNU out-rebounded York, 9-3, in the second quarter and shot 10-for-15 from the field for 23 points. Jasmine Norman had 5 points and Jessica Daguilh added 4 while eight different players got into the second-quarter scoring column. 

Out of the break, the Captains answered early chances by York and maintained a 12-point lead, 54-42 with 4:18 remaining. Kirkland added another three-pointer and Terwilliger finished on a second chance layup to keep the lead at double figures with 14:18 left in the second half. From that point forward, though, CNU managed just four points on two field goals from Jessica Daguilh in the fourth quarter. The Captains were outscored 19-2 over the final four minutes of the third quarter and the first nine minutes of the fourth quarter. The Spartans turned their double-digit deficit into a five-point lead with just over a minute remaining on a pair of free-throws by Katie McGowan to make it 61-56. 

With less than a minute remaining, Fan found Daguilh for a layup to cut the lead back to a single possession, 61-58. Despite the offensive struggles, CNU still had a chance to tie after a missed three-pointer by McGowan. Fan hauled in the rebound with 36.1 seconds remaining and the Captains called for a timeout. After advancing the ball to the front court, CNU was unable to get a shot off and turned the ball over as Debria Hendricks stole the ball and found McGowan on the run for a fast-break layup. Down five again, the Captains tried to connect on a pair of three-pointers but missed both and the Spartans held on for the win. 

Despite the cold shooting effort in the second half, Christopher Newport still outshot the Spartans by knocking down 40.3% (25-62) of their shots while York shot just 39.7% (23-58). 

CNU was led by Kirkland and Daguilh with 12 points apiece. Fan filled the stat sheet with 8 points, 7 assists, 5 steals, and 4 rebounds. Senior Zhara Tannor also returned to the lineup after missing nine games with an injured ankle. Tannor dished four assists, eclipsing 300 for her career and moving up to 12th all-time in career helpers. She is now ten dimes shy of the top-ten where Tomorrow Lofton and Rasheka Barnes sit with 314 assists. 

The Captains will return to action on Wednesday, January 30 as they travel to St. Mary's (Md.) for a 6:00 pm tip against the Seahawks.