Box Score

GREENCASTLE, Ind. -- Despite an impressive effort by Bailey Lien and a second-half goal by Moira Wright, the fourth-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team could not overcome a pair of scores by No. 20 DePauw as the Captains dropped a 2-1 decision to the Tigers on Saturday afternoon at Nick Mourouzis Field.

In a rarity for CNU, DePauw out-shot the visitors during the contest, 16-5, but Lien kept the squad in the game with nine saves. Unfortunately, after Wright scored her first career goal to knot the game at one, the Tigers snuck in a late strike to seal the upset victory.

With the setback, Christopher Newport falls to 2-1 on the season, while DePauw improves to 3-0.

Following a scoreless first half, the pace picked up drastically after halftime. The Tigers came out of the break firing as the hosts ripped the first three shots of the period. Up to the task, Lien brushed aside two of the darts before the third was sent back by Alexa Hendrickson on a textbook defensive save. Unfortunately, following a penalty corner, DePauw got on the board first as Addie Ball deposited a pass from Paige Henry to take a 1-0 lead.

Trailing for the first time all season, the Captains responded quickly. After the squad earned a pair of penalty corners, Wright evened the score. Just over nine minutes after DePauw opened the scoring, Wright knotted it off a bullet that whistled through the Tiger defense at 54:48.

Back on even ground, the CNU defense battled hard to keep the DePauw attack at bay. The Captains clamped down on three corner attempts, while Lien stoned a pair of on-target shots to keep the score even at one. Unfortunately, the hosts never relented and continued to pressure Christopher Newport. Finally, with just over six minutes remaining in regulation, Henry punched home the squad's second goal to snatch a 2-1 edge.

With time running down, Lauren Cheatham had one final opportunity and spun a dart on cage, but DePauw's Maggie Steele got in the way and swatted it aside to seal the 2-1 triumph.

Although DePauw held a nine-shot edge during the game, Christopher Newport led the way in penalty corners, 7-6.

During the first period, the two squads traded runs. DePauw got off to a quick start, drilling a pair of shots, including one that clanked off the post. Later, Belle Tunstall retaliated and ripped a one-timer for the Captains, but Kylie Maloney made a solid defensive save to keep the visitors off the board. Three minutes later, Sarah Miller returned the favor. After Grace Fisher found a little space to work, the Tiger unloaded a shot on goal. Fortunately for CNU, Miller was able to swoop in and deflect the roller away from the cage.

Later, during an impressive six-minute stretch, DePauw tested Lien with three shots. Once again, the second-year goalie came away unscathed as she made three straight saves to keep the game scoreless entering halftime. Unfortunately, the Tigers simply had a little more left in the final stanza to sneak out the 2-1 victory.

Christopher Newport will be back in action tomorrow for a noon battle with Wittenberg in Greencastle.

---CNU---