The University of Mary Washington women's basketball team put up a valiant battle, but came up short at the end to Christopher Newport University on Saturday in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference championship at Ron Rosner Arena. The Eagles slip to 22-6 on the season.

The Eagles jumped out to an early 8-4 lead, thanks to six points from junior forward Jordan Carpenter, who scored a career-high 30 points in the game, and two from junior Megan Baxter. The Eagles mantianed a slim advantage for the first eight minutes, when the lead changed hands three times in the final minutes of the first. CNU carried a 19-16 lead to the second quarter.

The Captains scored the first eight points of the second to grab a 27-16 advantage, but the Eagles remained steadfast, with Carpenter responding with a pair of scores to pull UMW to within 29-20. CNU then scored the next six points, but again Carpenter scored a three point play, and Lexi Miller added a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to 10, at 35-25, with 3:37 left before intermission. Carpenter netted four more points in the waning moments, and the Eagles trailed, 40-27, at the half.

CNU scored the first four points of the third quarter to extend its lead to 18, but UMW rallied, scoring the next seven to pull back to within 11. UMW was outscored, 10-6, to close the period, and trailed, 58-43, after three quarters.

In the fourth the teams traded points, with the margin not fluctuating more than four points either way from the start of the quarter.

Carpenter shot 10-16 from the floor and 10-11 from the free throw line in achieving her career with 30 points, as the lone Eagle in double figures. She also led with nine rebounds. Junior Sydney Sherman added nine points and six rebounds.

Mary Washington shot 38% from the field (19-50), making 18-22 free throws. Christopher Newport shot 45.5% (25-55), making 3-19 three point attempts and 22-29 free throws. The Captains led in rebounding, 36-30.

The Eagles will now await their fate as an at-large selection to the NCAA Division III Tournament next weekend. The tournament selection show will be on Monday at 2:30 p.m. on ncaa.com.