FROSTBURG, Md. -- Belle Tunstall scored her record-tying 41st career goal and
Samantha Snider added the game-winner in the second half as the Christopher Newport field hockey team won its third straight contest and sealed a berth in the Capital Athletic Conference playoffs with a 2-1 triumph over Frostburg State on Saturday afternoon at Bobcat Stadium.
During the game, Tunstall registered her team-leading seventh goal of the year and 41st of her career. With that strike, she equaled Wendy Wilson's career goals record set from 2000-02. The senior already holds the all-time program marks with 115 points and 33 assists, which she established earlier this season.
Along with Tunstall's historic goal, Snider added the final nail in the second half with her second score of the year. On the defensive end,
Bailey Lien led the way with five saves to earn her sixth win of the season.
With the victory, Christopher Newport improves to 11-5 on the season and 3-2 in the CAC. Frostburg State now sits at 6-11 overall and 0-5 in league action.
Right out of the gate, the Captains struck quickly in the first half as Tunstall hammered home her record-tying goal in the second minute of action. On the play, the senior speedster burst free and dribbled down the middle of the field before unloading a blast that tucked neatly into the back of the cage for a fast 1-0 lead.
Trailing by a goal, the Bobcats had a modest response and ripped their first shot four minutes after CNU grabbed the lead, but Lien stoned the attempt to keep the hosts off the board. Later, her offense went back to work with a solid surge.
Lisa Murphy loosed up the defense with a bullet that was blocked before
Carol Thompson and
Allie Hackbarth smoked on-target attempts. Unfortunately, both of their shots were stymied by Frostburg's Jacqueline Gover.
Still on the attack, the Captains continued to pressure the Bobcats. The squad unloaded three more shots on-goal and earned a penalty stroke during a three-minute window, but Frostburg State held up against the onslaught. Eventually, needing to mount a response, the hosts finally cleared their zone and stormed into CNU's end. With some room to work, Jackie Best managed to find a little daylight and knotted the game at one in the 21st minute.
With some momentum on their side, the Bobcats continued to attack. Keeping the ball on CNU's end of the field, the squad tested the Captain defense with a pair of darts, but Lien stoned both. Later, her defense pieced together a solid stand in the waning moments of the first half and cut off a pair of shots before they reached the cage to keep the score tied entering halftime.
The break paid immediate dividends for the Captains as they quickly asserted themselves with a tremendous run early in the second period. Although Gover help up against a pair of shots by both Hackbarth and Tunstall, the visitors continued to attack. Following a Frostburg timeout, which momentarily halted the run, CNU quickly regained its footing. In the 58th minute,
Madison Doss sent a gorgeous feed to Snider, who ripped a one-timer through the FSU defense to snatch a 2-1 advantage.
Back on top, Christopher Newport continued to attack and controlled the tempo. Blasting rockets from every angle, the team blistered eight shots during a five-minute surge, including seven on-goal. Although Frostburg State was able to hold up against the assault, time quickly became a factor in the game.
With the CNU offense controlling possession, the clock slowly ticked down. Eventually, the Bobcats were able to manage one last shot with three minutes left in regulation, but Lien stepped up with another huge save to sustain the lead and seal the victory.
Overall, the Captains held a 29-9 edge in shots and a 12-4 lead in corners. Along with Lien's five saves for CNU, Gover made 19 for FSU.
Christopher Newport will return to action on Wednesday when the squad hosts No. 16 Mary Washington in the regular season finale at Captains Turf Field at 6 p.m.
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