DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University football fell to USA South Conference foe Christopher Newport University 38-7 on Saturday night, spoiling the program's first-ever night home game in front of a record 2,872 fans on Homecoming.

Averett (1-5, 0-4 USA South) fed off the crowd's enthusiasm to open the game. The Cougars drove down the field, only to have a pass intercepted in the end zone. Christopher Newport (4-3, 4-1 USA South) took the ensuing drive 73 yards, capped off by Daquan Davis' 16-yard touchdown run to give the Captains a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. Davis added another rushing touchdown, this time from 2 yards out, to push CNU's lead to 14-0 early in the second quarter.

The Cougars responded with another long drive that came up empty. Deep in Captains territory, Averett threw another interception, which was picked off by Cameron Barlow and returned 91 yards for a touchdown to increase CNU's lead to three touchdowns. CNU added a 4-yard touchdown pass from Marcus Morrast to Austin Browne before the end of the half to help the Captains take a 28-0 advantage into the locker rooms.

After CNU added a 39-yard field goal on its first possession of the third quarter, Averett's offense came through with a scoring drive. Senior quarterback Kirkland Brown led a 10-play, 65-yard drive that Brown completed with a 13-yard touchdown run around the right corner, trimming the deficit to 31-7 with 6:44 left in in the quarter. However, that was as close as Averett would get to the Captains, who added a Morrast touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter.

CNU limited Averett to 307 yards of offense, including only 94 yards on the ground. However, Averett junior wide receiver Terrance Owens II had a career night with eight catches for 104 yards after flirting with the century mark the past two games.

Defensively, senior linebacker Kendall Green led the Cougars in tackles for the second consecutive game, finishing with 10.

The game marked the final meeting between Christopher Newport and Averett as conference foes. The Captains are joining the New Jersey Athletic Conference in football next season, ending a 14-year rivalry on the gridiron.

Averett will look to end its current skid next with with a 6 p.m. home game against Ferrum College.