Box Score

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Behind a potent offensive attack and a suffocating defensive effort, the 15th-ranked Christopher Newport women's lacrosse team turned in a dominating performance and secured its first-ever NCAA Tournament victory with an incredible 23-6 win over Sewanee during a first-round showdown at Captains Turf Field on a wet Wednesday afternoon.

Firing on all cylinders, CNU pieced together one of its most well-rounded efforts of the 2013 campaign. Back in the NCAA Tournament for the eighth consecutive season, the Captains nailed down their first victory guided by four-goal performances from Ashton Marshall and Jessica Singer. Elena Obregon, Rachel Tomlinson, and Becca Geist also added hat-tricks to round out the assault.

On the defensive end, Kelly Lane put on a clinic. The senior forced five turnovers, marking the fifth highest single-game total in CNU history. She also bumped her single-season total to 28, which stands as a new school record. Sally Allstadt set the previous mark of 27 in 2006.

With the victory, the Captains improve to 18-2 and advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, which will take place on Saturday. CNU will square off with the survivor of the Salisbury – Cabrini first-round match-up.

On Wednesday, Christopher Newport left little to doubt from the outset. Shaking off any rust that may have accumulated during their two-week layoff, the Captains burst out of the gate. Geist set up Tomlinson, who settled into a lane and blistered the first goal of the game less than two minutes into regulation. Continuing their run, Marshall tacked on two quick goals by herself, while Obregon added her first of the game to secure a 4-0 lead at 24:15.

Following Sewanee's first score just 20 seconds later, CNU found its rhythm and unloaded. On a mad scramble in front of the goal, Singer collected a loose ball and fired a point-blank bullet to open the surge. Later, Geist and Lane each tacked on two goals apiece, while Geist added her second and Rachel Tomlinson chimed in with her first off a gorgeous feed by Obregon.

Leading 11-1 with a running clock, the Captains continued to roll during the final 10 minutes of the half. After dishing out a pair of assists, Obregon got back in the act with her second goal, while Tomlinson and Marshall continued to showcase their offensive chops with a dart apiece. Lauren King also helped anchor the attack, dishing out two helpers, including a perfect feed to Kylie Chaplin, who uncorked a rope to help secure a 15-1 halftime advantage.

While the offense was lighting up the scoreboard, the defense also turned in a breathtaking effort during the first half. Refusing to let the Tigers get any sort of momentum, the Captains built a wall around the goal. Lane, Monica Evans, and Stephanie Green were relentless, causing turnovers at a breakneck pace. Refusing to let Sewanee even crack midfield on most clear attempts, Singer also forced a pair of miscues to go along with her offensive exploits.

With the game well in-hand at halftime, Christopher Newport added one final exclamation point after orchestrating another quick run at the start of the second period. Following her defensive efforts, Singer unleashed two more goals, including one set-up by Green. Later, Obregon, Geist, and Marshall snapped off three straight scores during a five-minute window on the way to an imposing 20-1 advantage.

With one of their largest leads of the season, the Captains settled in. Although Sewanee made a bit of a run, collecting four straight scores to pull back within 15 at 20-5, the game was never in doubt. During the early part of the half, Hanna Slough also stepped up with the defensive play of the game. After a Tiger scooped up a loose ball and broke free inside the CNU zone, Slough absolutely stoned a wicked one-timer to shut down the one-on-one situation.

In the final few minutes of action, Chaplin snapped Sewanee's four-goal run with a laser before King added her first on a nice feed by fellow senior Grace Valentine. Following one last Tiger goal, Nina Stinson capped off the scoring after wiggling free and unleashing one final rocket with 10 seconds remaining to seal the 23-6 victory.

Overall, nine different Captains recorded a goal and 12 forced turnovers. Christopher Newport was also sensational on the draw, controlling 18 opportunities, including a team-high five by Tomlinson. Geist and King also picked up four apiece, while Valentine had a game-high five ground balls.

CNU held a remarkable 39-15 edge in shots and a 33-16 lead in ground balls. Slough finished with a team-high five saves, while Hannah Wilkerson anchored the defense for the final 13 minutes of action. Sewanee's Sammy Strasburger notched eight stops for the Tigers.

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