DOVER, Del. -- Flashing a well-balanced attack and a sturdy defensive unit, the 16th-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team kicked off Capital Athletic Conference action with an impressive victory as the Captains rolled past Wesley, 5-1, during a CAC tilt at Drass Field on Saturday afternoon.

During the contest, Lauren Cheatham and Alexa Weaver both registered a goal and an assist, while Cori Black, Samantha Snider, and Rachael Allshouse all found the back of the cage as well. Defensively, Bailey Lien led the way between the pipes as the junior chipped in with a pair of saves to earn her 30th career victory.

With the win, Christopher Newport improves to 3-1 on the season, including 1-0 in the CAC. The setback drops Wesley to 1-4 overall and 0-1 in league action.

Right out of the gate, the Captains established the tempo and pieced together an unrelenting attack. Testing the Wesley defense quickly, the visitors earned the game's first three corners and pumped five straight shots during the early going. Although the Wolverines were able to hold steady through the first wave, Christopher Newport eventually broke through.

After Cheatham whistled a shot that was stoned by Wesley's goalie, Weaver eventually took control of the roller. Shortly thereafter, she dished back to Cheatham, who found an opening on her second attempt as she punched home her fourth goal of the season in the 18th minute of action.

Holding a 1-0 lead, the Captains went right back to work. Continuing the onslaught, Josie Morgan ripped a shot that scooted just wide before Weaver returned again. This time, rather than setting up a goal, she simply drilled her own as the second-year star lined a shot through the Wesley defense to give CNU a 2-0 lead in the 20th minute.

Staring at a two-goal deficit, the Wolverines attempted to claw back into the contest. First, the defense settled in as Wesley blanked the Captains over the final 15 minutes of the first stanza. Then, after halftime, the hosts put together their finest offensive run of the game.

Opening up the second-half action, Wesley pumped two straight shots, but Lien stopped the first before Brittan Muir scampered in and shut down the second with a defensive save. Unfortunately, the Wolverines continued to attack, and shortly after earning a penalty corner, the hosts snuck a ball past the CNU defense to pull back within one in the 40th minute.

Refusing to let Wesley pull even, Christopher Newport orchestrated a devastating offensive assault. Just two minutes after the Wolverines lit up the scoreboard, Black shot back. Following a perfect pass by Madison Doss, Black punched home her second strike of the season to regain a two-goal cushion. One minute later, Cheatham set up Allshouse, who rocketed her first career goal to nail down a 4-1 lead in the 43rd minute.

With the tide quickly turning, Wesley called a timeout to regroup. Although the hosts were able to control possession for a moment after the stoppage, CNU regained control and went back to work. Riley Keeter smacked two straight shots that were cleaned up by the WC defense, but the visitors eventually earned a corner. Shortly after inserting the ball, Snider took control and launched a dart to the back of the cage for a 5-1 advantage.

Holding a four-goal lead, the Captains kept the pressure on throughout the remainder of the second half. Abby Cryts tried to pound through three straight shots, while Hannah Clark ripped a pair, but all five were stopped by the Wesley goalie. Later, Morgan and Carol Thompson had two darts turned away by defensive saves, but Christopher Newport never needed another score as the squad eased into the 5-1 victory.

Overall, CNU held a 32-6 advantage in shots and a 12-3 lead in corners. Lien made a pair of saves during her time between the pipes, while Stephanie McKinney added a spotless 10 minutes of work in goal. Wesley's Kayla Fromal took the loss despite tallying 18 saves for the Wolverines.

Christopher Newport will return to action on September 19 with a 2 p.m. clash against Washington & Lee at Captains Turf Field. Following that game, CNU will hold its annual post-game clinic. For those looking to participate, pre-registration is available here: http://stickpowerfieldhockey.memberlodge.com/event-1988115

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