Box Score

SALEM, Va. – Guided by four-goal efforts from Becca Geist and Lauren King, the 17th-ranked Christopher Newport women's lacrosse team extended its winning streak to 14 straight with a 16-7 victory over Roanoke on Saturday afternoon at Kerr Stadium.

Geist led the way with five points after chipping in with an assist to go along with her four scores. King also tied for the team-lead with three draw controls and three ground balls in addition to her four goals. Not to be outdone, Elena Obregon also added her fifth consecutive hat-trick after collecting three goals, while fellow freshman Nina Stinson posted a pair.

On the defensive end, Rachel Tomlinson led the team with three caused turnovers and Hanna Slough notched three saves. Overall, the Captain defense forced seven turnovers and limited the Maroons to just 12 shots during the game.

With the victory, Christopher Newport now stands at 14-1 on the season heading into the USA South Tournament. The setback drops Roanoke to 6-6.

From the very beginning, CNU found its rhythm. Although she anchored the defense for much of the game, Tomlinson showed off her offensive chops at the outset. The senior midfielder opened the scoring off a free-position attempt at 28:10 before setting up Geist's first goal with a sensational feed less than two minutes later.

Continuing their strong start, the Captains quickly added two more goals on rockets by King and Obregon, which immediately led to a Roanoke timeout. Following the break, the pace settled down and the Maroons regrouped. Eventually, the hosts scored two of the next three goals to pull back within three at 5-2. Despite the momentary lapse, CNU never faltered and quickly orchestrated a response.

With just under eight minutes remaining in the half, King struck for the second time after beating the Roanoke goalie with a low dart to the right corner of the net. Keeping the pressure on, the Captains secured the ensuing draw and went storming right back into the zone. After Ashton Marshall took control of the ball behind the net, the junior juggernaut curled around the nearside of the goal and unleashed a tracer for a 7-2 lead.

Although the hosts answered with a goal by Allison Bonanno at the seven-minute mark, the two defenses settled in for the remainder of the half. Eventually, Slough and Roanoke's Lauren Curtin each stoned free-position attempts to keep the game at 7-3 entering halftime.

Following the break, CNU appeared to put the game out of reach with an early onslaught in the second. Kylie Chaplin assisted on King's third goal of the game less than a minute into the new stanza before Geist drove home her third shortly thereafter. However, despite the 9-3 deficit, Roanoke never relented and orchestrated a comeback.

The Maroons scored three straight in less than two minutes, highlighted by a pair of goals by Rosie Knisley. Back within striking distance at 9-6, Roanoke looked primed to make a late push, but Christopher Newport slammed the door before the squad could do anything else.

Following RC's three-goal assault, CNU responded with one of its own. King and Geist teamed up on the first goal of the run before Jessica Singer and Stinson capped off the streak with a pair of unassisted lasers. Back up by six at 12-6, the Captains had a momentary setback that led to Roanoke's final goal of the game at the 10-minute mark. After that, the visitors controlled the rest of regulation.

Stinson added her second score of the game at 6:53, while Obregon showed off her assortment of skills with a caused turnover and goal during a nice two-minute run that gave CNU a 14-7 edge. Although Roanoke whistled for a timeout to break Christopher Newport's momentum, the stoppage did little. Geist capped off her four-goal game following an assist by Tomlinson before Obregon added the final nail during the last few seconds to seal the 16-7 win.

Overall, CNU held a 35-12 lead in shots and a 22-10 edge in ground balls. The Captains also controlled 14 of the game's 25 draws and converted six of their 12 free-position attempts.

Christopher Newport will return to action on April 12 for the semifinals of the USA South Tournament in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. The Captains will face the winner of the Piedmont-Meredith first round match-up at 1 p.m. next Friday.

---CNU---