ARLINGTON, Va. -- Meaghan Galvin registered her second eight-point effort of the season, while Catie Chess and Sarah Culver combined for seven goals as the 15th-ranked Christopher Newport women's lacrosse team took down Marymount, 16-9, during a Capital Athletic Conference clash on Saturday afternoon at Long Bridge Park.
 
Against the Saints, Galvin equaled her career-high with eight points after registering five goals and three assists. Meanwhile, Chess also scored four times for the Captains, while Culver chipped in with her seventh hat-trick of the season. Colleen Bourgal also tallied a pair of goals during the game, while Maria Gianelle contributed two points as well.
 
On the defensive side, Chess and Hunter Van Reenan both forced a pair of turnovers, while Mariah Ginebra corralled three ground balls. Emma Walsh also picked up three rollers and added six saves to earn the victory.
 
With the win, Christopher Newport improves to 11-2 on the season, including 5-1 in league action. Marymount is now 9-5 overall and 3-3 against CAC opponents.
 
Although the Saints managed to light up the scoreboard first, the Captains had a ferocious response. Chess snapped off back-to-back goals in less than 30 seconds to grab an early lead. Later, after Walsh stoned a pair of shots, including a free-position attempt, Galvin whistled two straight darts to the back of the net to secure a 4-1 lead in the first 10 minutes of regulation.
 
After the hosts pieced together a modest reply to pull back within one, Galvin and Chess continued to land blows. Picking apart Marymount's back line, the two standouts combined for three more goals during the middle of the first period to continue extending CNU's advantage.
 
Despite a late flurry by the Saints, which helped the hosts claw back within one at 7-6, Christopher Newport never lost its lead. Eventually, with mere seconds left on the first-half clock, Galvin set up Caitlin King, who snapped off a screamer to regain a two-goal lead heading into the break.
 
After Chess and Galvin played a role in all eight of CNU's first-half tallies, their domination continued in the second stanza. Just 40 seconds into the new period, Chess earned a free-position attempt. With a clean look at the cage, she quickly capitalized to nail down a three-goal edge. Shortly thereafter, Culver gave the squad even more breathing room as the first-year standout leveled the Saints with two straight goals, including another eight-meter missile, to snatch an 11-6 lead with 22 minutes remaining.
 
With the offense doing its job, the defense also excelled. Chess and Julia Golden both forced turnovers to keep the Saints on their heels, while Walsh remained vigilant on the back end. The freshman goalie added two more stops early in the second half, including her third of the game on a free-position shot.
 
As the defense subdued the Marymount attack, CNU's offense continued to stretch the lead. Once again, Galvin was at the forefront as the junior set up goals by Gianelle and Culver while adding her fifth strike of the contest to lock down a 14-7 lead with seven minutes left.
 
With time winding down, Van Reenan forced a pair of turnovers to prevent any chance of a Marymount comeback. Later, Bourgal drove home the final two nails, including one off a pinpoint pass by Carly Wilson, to ice the 16-9 victory.
 
Overall, CNU held a 31-18 edge in shots and a 14-12 lead in ground balls. The Captains also controlled 18 of the game's 27 draws. Culver led the way with five draw controls, while Kylie Chaplin contributed four. Chess added three to go along with her five points and two caused turnovers.
 
Christopher Newport will be back in action on Wednesday when the squad heads to Fredericksburg for a 4 p.m. match-up with No. 13 Mary Washington.
 
---CNU---