Box Score

ASHLAND, Va. -- Monica Evans set a new program record for career ground balls, while Ashton Marshall and Kylie Chaplin paced the offensive attack with three goals each as the 14th ranked Christopher Newport women's lacrosse team captured its 17th straight victory with a 12-10 triumph over Randolph-Macon on Saturday afternoon.

During the contest, Evans collected a game-high five ground balls, which bumped her career total to 158. That tops the previous program mark of 156 set by Sally Allstadt from 2003-06. A four-time All-USA South honoree, Evans also boasts the team record for career caused turnovers and is among the all-time top-10 in games played as well.

While Evans helped clean up on the defensive end on Saturday, Marshall and Chaplin led the offense with three goals apiece. Guided by that effort, Marshall now has 70 goals this season, making her only the second player in program history to reach that benchmark. She now stands just six goals shy of matching the program's single-season mark set by Kaitlin Quigley in 2010.

In addition to Marshall and Chaplin, Rachel Tomlinson came through with two goals and a pair of assists, while Lauren King chipped in with three points as well. Helping out on the defensive end, Stephanie Green and Kelly Lane each caused a pair of turnovers, while Hanna Slough stepped up with 10 saves for CNU.

The victory extends Christopher Newport's program-record winning streak and pushes the team to 17-1 on the season. Randolph-Macon, who entered the contest on a three-game roll, now sits at 11-5 overall.

In the early going, Marshall kept pace with the Randolph-Macon attack, scoring a pair of quick goals on the way to a 2-2 tie. Later, after Jessica Singer broke the deadlock with a bullet following a nice feed from Lane, Tomlinson took control. With assists from Becca Geist and Grace Valentine, the senior standout converted back-to-back shots before Chaplin came through with her first goal to give the Captains a little cushion at 6-2.

Staring at a four-goal deficit, the Yellow Jackets stormed back. During an impressive six-minute stretch in the middle of the period, Randolph-Macon unloaded a barrage of shots. Although Slough was able to set aside three of those rockets, including a pair of free-position attempts, the hosts were able to pull back within one at 6-5. Unfazed by the resurgence, CNU regrouped and responded.

During the tail end of the first half, Marshall struck again with her third goal of the game before King found an opening during the last minute of the stanza to give Christopher Newport an 8-5 edge.

After ending the first half on a bit of a roll, the Captains kept the pressure on in the beginning of the second. Chaplin pushed the lead back up to four with a goal just 70 seconds into the half. Later, after Randolph-Macon answered, Singer fired back. Following a perfect pass from Tomlinson, the junior launched a rope through the Yellow Jacket defense to give CNU a 10-6 advantage at 24:07.

The seesaw battle continued during the middle of the period as the Yellow Jackets responded with a free-position goal before King added her second score at the 20-minute mark. Following a nice defensive stand, which featured a caused turnover by Lane, Chaplin capped off her hat-trick with a dart at 15:10.

Staring at a 12-7 deficit, Randolph-Macon refused to go down quietly. On Senior Day, fourth-year standout Emily Lynch led the hosts' comeback bid. She added a goal and an assist during a four-minute stretch to pull the Yellow Jackets back within three. Just over three minutes later, Alyssa Chavez kept R-MC's streak going with a goal at 7:40 to cut the squad's deficit down to two at 12-10.

With a fight on their hands, the Captains settled down. Slough stepped up with three huge saves, including a pair of stops on free-position attempts. Later, following a sustained offensive surge by the Yellow Jackets, Evans picked up her fourth ground ball and helped clear the zone to keep the opposition at bay. Although the hosts were eventually able to get control again and force their way back into the CNU zone, Christopher Newport clamped down.

In the last few moments of regulation, Evans fittingly helped cap off the win. After Randolph-Macon forced a turnover to keep the squad's hopes alive, Evans swooped in and snagged her final ground ball of the game to help run out the clock and secure the two-goal victory.

During the contest, both teams uncorked 25 shots, while CNU held a 17-13 edge in ground balls. Randolph-Macon led the way in draw controls, taking 14 of the 24 battles. On the defensive end, Slough finished with her third double-digit save effort of the season, while Nicole Woodworth posted 11 stops for the Yellow Jackets.

Christopher Newport will wrap up the regular season on Sunday at 2 p.m. when the squad squares off with No. 2 Salisbury at Sea Gull Stadium.

---CNU---