ASHLAND, Va. -- Behind another outstanding defensive performance and a relentless offensive attack, the 16th-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team picked up its third straight victory as the Captains took down Randolph-Macon, 2-0, during a non-conference battle on Wednesday evening at Day Field.
 
During the contest, the defense smothered the Yellow Jackets as the squad picked up its second consecutive shutout. Leading the way between the pipes, Bailey Lien earned the victory after making three saves. The win, which marked the 32nd of her career, moved her into a tie with Emma Stout for the top spot on the program's career victories list.
 
On the offensive end, Carol Thompson opened the game with a first-half strike, while Alexa Weaver capped off the scoring with a second-half dart.
 
The victory bumps Christopher Newport to 5-1 on the season, while the setback drops Randolph-Macon to 6-3. The win also marks the 15th consecutive triumph for the Captains against the Yellow Jackets.
 
Getting things started quickly, CNU set the tone immediately and kept control in the RMC zone. Although the hosts attempted to clear the ball twice, the visitors clamped down on both attempts before Thompson took possession after a foul. Following the restart, she steamed through the Macon defense and blistered a bullet to the back of the cage to open the scoring in the fifth minute of action.
 
Holding an early lead, the Captains kept the pressure on. During a 30-second onslaught, Cori Black smacked a shot that scooted just wide, while Weaver and Madison Doss each had attempts turned away by RMC's goalie. Minutes later, Mackenzie Neylon pounded away with a bevy of blasts, but the hosts held tough and kept their deficit at one.
 
Although the CNU offense controlled most of the first half, the defense also did a solid job to clamp down on several late runs. Brittan Muir and Lauren Reinaman both ended deep threats by the Yellow Jackets before Lien made a sensational, heads-up play.
 
With only a few minutes remaining in the first period, RMC slipped a pass through CNU's defense and had a breakaway on the far side of the field. Alone on the back end, Lien came storming out of the cage and broke up the run by swatting the ball away to keep the Yellow Jackets off the board entering halftime.
 
Following the break, the visitors immediately went to work looking to add a little cushion to their one-goal advantage. Early on, Lauren Cheatham and Josie Morgan both had a pair of shots turned away before the squad earned a penalty corner. With a solid opportunity to extend the lead, the Captains took advantage.
 
In the 44th minute, Samantha Snider inserted the ball from the back line on a textbook corner. At the top of the circle, Muir stopped the roller and quickly fed across the zone to Weaver. Without hesitation, the sophomore standout took control and ripped a one-timer right through the RMC defense to give the squad a 2-0 edge.
 
Staring at two-goal deficit, the Yellow Jackets attempted to battle back, but CNU never blinked. Lien was a wall between the pipes and made a pair of saves on back-to-back attempts to keep the ledger clean. Later, after the Captains took the ball back into the Macon zone, the midfield prevented RMC from regaining a rhythm. Black and Sarah Miller both broke up clear attempts to keep control and run more time off the clock.
 
Later, with time winding down, Lisa Murphy helped put an end to the final Macon push. The senior picked off a high-arcing floater and also intercepted another pass deep in the CNU zone to quiet the last RMC run and put the final punctuation mark on the 2-0 victory.
 
Overall, CNU held a 29-7 advantage in shots and a 13-2 edge in penalty corners. Lien finished with three saves for the Captains, while Kelsey Stanley added 20 stops for the Yellow Jackets.
 
Christopher Newport will return to action on Friday when the squad travels to Roanoke for a 7 p.m. battle.
 
---CNU---