Raleigh, NC – Christopher Newport University used a 9-0 run midway through the first half to go ahead and stay ahead of Peace College in Raleigh Saturday afternoon. With the score tied at 18-18 the visiting Captains went on a scoring run which was too strong for the Pacers to recover from. The Pacers (5-6 overall, 0-2 USA South) fell below the .500 mark for the first time this season with the loss, while CNU (7-6 overall, 1-1 USA South) got their first conference win of the season.

Scoring was a rarity in the first half with the score tied at 6-6 early in the game, but both offenses would come alive. The Pacers received some early offensive help by guards Christy Freeman and Kim Zullo who dropped in a few baskets a piece in the early going, but it was all Christopher Newport once the score hit eighteen on both sides. The Captains, who went on a quick 9-0 run, ended the half on a 22-3 offensive explosion to take a 40-21 half time lead.

The second half proved to be much of the same as the Pacers struggled to find offensive production. One bright spot between scoring droughts was post player Emily Deal. Deal used some nifty moves in the paint to score a team high eleven points while coming one rebound shy of a double-double with nine total boards on the day. Guard Amanda Cross, combined with Freeman, scored six and seven points respectively on the afternoon, while post Emily Stewart tied Deal’s total with nine total rebounds.

The Pacers must lick their wounds quickly as they host Shenandoah University on Sunday. The visiting Hornets are 8-3 overall (1-0 USA South), but traveled to North Carolina Wesleyan today. Pending the outcome of that game Shenandoah could move into a three-way tie for first place in the conference when they show up in Raleigh on Sunday. Game time is slated for 2:00 PM in the Hermann Student Center.