ASHLAND, Va. -- Meaghan Galvin pieced together another huge performance and Catie Chess notched her first collegiate hat-trick, but the Christopher Newport women's lacrosse team could not complete its comeback bid as the Captains dropped a 12-9 decision to Randolph-Macon on Saturday afternoon at Day Field.

Continuing a spectacular start to her sophomore campaign, Galvin came through with her second straight six-point effort after notching four goals and two assists. The second-year standout also contributed eight draw controls, which ranks sixth on the program's all-time single-game list.

Chess also looked sharp on Saturday with three first-half goals, while Hanna Slough contributed 11 saves on the defensive end. The Captains also forced eight turnovers, but the visitors could not overcome a late second-half deficit against the Yellow Jackets.

With the setback, Christopher Newport falls to 1-2 on the season. The victory moves Randolph-Macon to 2-0.

Early on, the two teams looked evenly matched and engaged in a seesaw affair. The Yellow Jackets jumped out to a quick 3-1 lead despite an early strike by Carly Wilson. Unfazed by the two-goal deficit, the Captains settled in and fought back with a vengeance.

Following a solid save by Slough, the Captains showed off a great transition game as the squad cleared the ball quickly and went marching into the R-MC zone. After settling in on the offensive end, Chess cut towards the goal, secured a feed from Wilson, and converted the pass into her first score. After that point, Galvin took over.

Looking to knot the game at three, Galvin made a spectacular spin move to clear her defender, which forced the Yellow Jackets to foul. With a free-position opportunity, she buried a bullet into the back of the net to even the score. Less than five minutes later, she returned to the scene and gave the Captains their first lead. After grabbing a pass from Lindsay Weaver, Galvin spun her defender again and punched in a low shot to snatch a 4-3 edge.

Trailing for the first time, Randolph-Macon retaliated with back-to-back goals before Christopher Newport whistled for a timeout. The stoppage paid immediate dividends as Galvin won the ensuing draw to gain possession. After taking control on the left side of the zone, Chess simply bulled through the defense, split a pair of Yellow Jackets, and made a clean run to the net for her second goal with 11 minutes remaining in the first half.

Once again, R-MC had an answer as the squad ripped off two straight scores before CNU pieced together an excellent run heading into halftime. The defense set up the late surge as Caitlin Osbourne and Claire Chadwick both forced turnovers to give the offense a chance. With new life, Chess and Galvin both completed their hat-tricks to knot the game at seven. First, Chess capitalized on outstanding ball movement to nail down her third score before Galvin sniped in a dart with a pair of defenders draped over her.

Looking to keep the game knotted at seven, Slough had a big stand at the tail end of the period and registered a pair of saves to quiet the Macon attack.

Following the break, the CNU defense continued to frustrate the Yellow Jackets as Mariah Ginebra and Kirsten Mendelsohn both forced turnovers. Unfortunately, Randolph-Macon also blanketed the Captain attack before breaking the game open with five straight goals during a seven-minute onslaught, which gave the hosts a commanding 12-7 advantage.

Staring at a five-goal deficit with less than 12 minutes remaining in regulation, the Captains refused to back down. Colleen Bourgal gave the squad renewed hope after scoring from the doorstep following a pass by Galvin to whittle the deficit down to four. Less than two minutes later, Galvin took her defender for a ride before whipping in a tough-angled shot to pull CNU within three.

Unfortunately, with time working against them, the Captains could never pull any closer. Although the defense was able to keep Randolph-Macon off the board, the squad could not complete its comeback bid as CNU dropped the 12-9 decision.

Overall, Randolph-Macon held a 29-19 edge in shots and a 27-13 lead in ground balls. The Yellow Jackets also controlled 15 of the game's 23 draws, while Allie Walker added seven saves for the victors.

Christopher Newport will return to action on March 3 when the squad kicks off a two-game trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico with a 3 p.m. bout against Roanoke. The Captains will also face St. John Fisher on March 5 during their travels.

---CNU---