NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Christopher Newport senior Anaya Simmons became the 29th player in program history to score 1,000 career points in a 69-44 win on the road Saturday afternoon, as the top-ranked Captains improved to 23-0 on the season. The Captains closed out the regular season with a perfect 12-0 record in road games, extending their winning streak while playing as the visiting team to 30. 

In addition to adding to the nation's longest road winning streak, the top-ranked Captains also extended the team's season-opening roll overall to 23 straight games. Salisbury fell to 7-17 with the setback. 

Simmons came into the game needing eight points to reach 1,000 and closed out the game with exactly that, paired with a game-high 10 rebounds. She is the fastest post player to reach the 1,000-point plateau since CNU Athletics Hall of Famer Candace Bryant reached the mark in two fewer games during the 2005-06 season. Simmons was playing in her 78th career game and is now averaging 12.8 points per game for her career. The Williamsburg, Va. native joins teammate Sondra Fan in the 1,000-point club after the graduate student also reached the mark in her third season a year ago. 

In the second-to-last game of the regular season, Christopher Newport led wire-to-wire, marking the 13th such victory this season. The Captains put together another suffocating defensive effort, holding Salisbury to just 30.6 percent shooting (15-49) and 44 points in the game. CNU snagged 11 steals, led by three from Hannah Kaloi, and forced 22 Salisbury turnovers. 

Led by six points from Simmons, the Captains opened the game scorching from the field, knocking down 10-of-19 shots in the first quarter. Junior point guard Gabbi San Diego re-entered the starting lineup for the first time since December 30 when she suffered an injury against Rowan and played 29 minutes against the Sea Gulls. She dished three assists without committing a turnover and added seven points and six rebounds. 

CNU jumped out to a quick 11-point lead on a 15-4 run to open the game including a 9-0 spurt that featured back-to-back layups by Simmons and a three-pointer by San Diego. The hot shooting slowed through the second quarter but the visitors still managed to lead by 13 at the break, 34-21.

Then came the momentous bucket on the Captains' first possession of the second half. After a missed shot by Salisbury, Kaloi cleared the rebound and dished an outlet pass to Katy Rader. Rader looked up and saw she had Simmons on the run -- the classmates connected with a long pass on the break and, after a pump fake, Simmons converted on the layup. 

The Captains defense ratcheted things up after the intermission as well, holding the hosts to just six points in the third quarter. CNU held Salisbury to just 2-of-10 shooting in the period, while forcing nine turnovers. 

Fan and Rader caught fire from long rang, combining for seven three-pointers in the game as the veteran combo each finished in double figures. Rader led the team in scoring with 15 points while also adding a team-high four assists and three rebounds. Fan finished with 12 points in just 16 minutes of action for the Captains while Kaloi rounded out the double figure scoring with 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Kaloi added seven rebounds and three thefts. 

Salisbury was led by Nadia Bullock off the bench with 12 points. Emily Dilger added 10 for the Sea Gulls. 

Christopher Newport will return to action on Wednesday, February 15 as they look to close out the regular season against Mary Washington. Tip is set for 5:30 pm at the Freeman Center as part of a doubleheader with the men's teams.