WHEATON, Ill. -- Playing as the top-ranked team in the nation for the first time in program history, the Christopher Newport women's basketball team leaned on it's patented style of defense to rush past the Wheaton College Thunder (14-7) on the road Saturday afternoon, 69-53. The Captains improved to 18-0 after forcing 33 turnovers including six drawn charges at King Arena in Chicagoland. 

Christopher Newport wins it's 35th game in a row, extending NCAA's longest active win streak with the victory. It would come courtesy of a 25-7 run midway through the first half as the Captains clamped down defensively and pulled away from the Thunder. 

CNU showed it's ability to win in a variety of ways as the team would have to overcome a tough night shooting the ball. Despite the second lowest field-goal percentage of the year (.380), including just eight made three-pointers in 31 attempts, the Captains utilized second-chance opportunities and fast-break layups created by the stingy Captains Chaos defense to pull away. 

The teams traded early spurts before a three-pointer by Caroline Sikkink would give the home team their largest lead of the night, 11-7, with 5:19 remaining in the first quarter. After a couple more minutes trading baskets, Wheaton led by one with 2:54 remaining, 15-14; from there, CNU took over. On the next two possessions, the Captains got key offensive rebounds that led to points, including a finish through the foul by junior Katy Rader to give CNU the lead for what would prove to be for good. 

Junior Anaya Simmons and senior Sondra Fan scored the first six points for CNU in the second quarter before both teams fell silent for nearly three minutes offensively. Rookie Hannah Kaloi made her presence felt on the defensive end with a big block and rebound that reinvigorated the Captains' and kickstarted a late flourish to create some distance. After the block, the Captains worked the ball around the half-court set before Jovia Winkey found herself wide open at the top of the key. She buried the triple and the CNU press forced a quick turnover which led to another open three, this time for Rader on the wing off a pass from Jessica Foster. In the span of just 47 seconds, the Captains turned a six-point lead into a 14-point edge, 33-19. 

The run continued with a third straight triple as Natalie Terwilliger connected from outside the arc. She also added a block on the next trip down the floor and a steal one possession later. The burst by the senior forward helped Christopher Newport extend the lead to 19 in the first half, 40-21. Wheaton trimmed the lead to just 15 at the break, 40-25, but the Captains carried the momentum into the locker room after shooting 50% from the field in the opening 20 minutes. 

The Thunder would get no closer than 13 the rest of the game as Christopher Newport continued to frustrate them defensively and knocked down enough shots to hold off any comeback attempt. Rookie Hannah Orloff had a nice series in the third quarter when she blocked a shot just moments after checking into the game, ran the floor, and finished on the break on an assist by Winkey. Foster and Phylicia McInnis his back-to-back three-pointers in the third and McInnis added another early in the fourth quarter to help stymie CNU's shooting woes. With Foster's long-range jumper, she now has 145 made three-pointers in her career to take over sole possession of third all-time at CNU. She trails Dana Edwards by only 11 for second to the NCAA Division III All-Time Leader Chelsie Schweers. 

Anaya Simmons led the team with 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting while also grabbing nine rebounds. Filling the stat sheet, Simmons added three assists, one block, and one steal. McInnis was the only other Captain in double figures with 11  points including three made three-pointers. Rader was efficient off the bench, knocking down all three of her shots for seven points while adding three steals and two assists in just 11 minutes of action. 

The Captains did a tremendous job cleaning up the offensive glass by grabbing 20 or more O-boards for the fourth time this season. The 20 rebounds led to 19 second-chance points against the Thunder on Saturday. CNU also scored 33 points off of 33 turnovers. 

Christopher Newport will continue it's Midwest trip on Sunday as they travel to face Finlandia University (11-7) at 1:00 p.m. Live stats and video will be available online from Hancock, Mich.