ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. -- The nationally-ranked Christopher Newport women's basketball team pulled away in the first half and captured a 24-point win on the road Wednesday afternoon, putting away North Carolina Wesleyan (4-7) by a final score of 82-58. The Captains improved to 11-0 on the season behind a dominant double-double from junior Anaya Simmons, scoring 18 points and adding 10 rebounds in the win. 

Simmons continued her season's long trend of efficiency with the basketball, scoring on seven of her 11 attempts from the field. Coming into the contest, the junior forward ranked third nationally in field-goal percentage and her effort Wednesday was another strong outing. She finished with a season-high ten boards while pouring in 18 points for her third consecutive double-figure scoring effort. 

Senior guard Sondra Fan also stayed hot, knocking down 50% from the field while scoring a season-high 24 points. Fan sank four three-pointers and was 4-for-6 inside the arc with a 4-for-4 showing from the free-throw line. Fellow senior guard Phylicia McInnis rounded out the double-figure scoring production for the Captains with 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting. 

The Captains struggled to find footing early in the contest and the nation's second-leading offense was held to just nine points over almost seven minutes of play in the first quarter. A big burst over the next ten minutes of action, however, led to an impressive 23-point lead with 2:22 to go in the first half. With a three-pointer on their first possession, Fan kickstarted the big portion of a 22-7 run to start the second quarter, which wound up putting CNU ahead, 40-17, with just over two minutes to play in the half. The lead would extend to 28 as another flourish at the end of the period saw Christopher Newport outscore the home team, 30-10, in the second period. 

In the runaway second, Fan and Simmons each had seven points while Jessica Foster chipped in five. The senior guard sank one three-pointer and dropped a pair of free-throws to help CNU continue to roll. McInnis also hit a trey and led the defense with three steals in the quarter. 

With a 48-20 lead at the break, the Captains were shooting 51.6% (16-31) while holding N.C. Wesleyan to just 21.9% (7-32). The lead a comfortable margin, Christopher Newport matched the Battling Bishops for the better part of the second half to hold their opponent at bay and win by a comfortable margin for the tenth time this season. CNU has won ten of their 11 games by 16 points or more and are among the national leaders in scoring margin. 

Defensively, CNU grabbed ten steals and added six blocked shots. Simmons rejected three shots while Julia Hobbs, making her first start of the season, picked up a pair of swats. Senior Julia Ng, added one block and five rebounds as well for the Captains front court. Rounding out the strong showing from the senior class on Wednesday was McInnis, who grabbed five rebounds, dished three assists, and snagged four steals in addition to her 12-point effort. 

Fan's season-high 24 points came on 8-of-16 shooting with four triples. She also snagged four rebounds with three assists and three steals. Simmons' double-double came with three blocks and a pair of steals in 24 minutes of action. 

Christopher Newport will take a break for the holidays before returning to action on December 29 against Lynchburg on a neutral court at Roanoke College. CNU will then face the host Maroons in the finale of the Susan Dunagan Classic on December 30.