CHESTERTOWN, Md. -- Sarah Culver pieced together one of the finest second-half performances in program history as the sophomore standout erupted for six goals while helping the Christopher Newport women's lacrosse team climb out of an early hole, but Washington (Md.) was able to post the game's final tally and escape Friday's battle with a 10-9 victory at Kirby Stadium.
 
In just over 14 minutes in the second half, Culver erupted for a career-high six goals, including the game-tying strike with 10 minutes left in regulation. With that performance, she equaled the program record for goals in a half, which was last accomplished by Ashton Marshall against Ferrum on March 17, 2012.
 
Along with Culver's explosive performance, Meaghan Galvin contributed three points and added four draw controls. Defensively, Mariah Ginebra forced three turnovers and collected three ground balls, while Emma Walsh made seven saves between the pipes.
 
With the setback, Christopher Newport falls to 0-2 on the season. Washington (Md.) improves to 1-0.
 
After the Shorewomen secured a 5-1 lead entering halftime, the Captains found themselves staring at an imposing deficit for the second straight game. Despite the first-half stumble, the squad regrouped during the break and came out re-energized in the second stanza.
 
After Jordan Hayes secured the opening draw in the second half, Christopher Newport went to work on the offensive end. Methodically moving the ball around the zone, the visitors poked at the WC defense, looking for a weakness. Finally, after nearly four minutes, Carly Wilson connected with Tess D'Arcy, who collected the pass on the run and quickly deposited her first goal of the season.
 
Although Washington (Md.) immediately responded, Culver found her groove and orchestrated a run to remember. First, she capitalized on a feed from Galvin to open her surge before scooping up a loose ball that scooted across midfield following a solid defensive stand by CNU. After picking up the ball on a dead sprint, she cut right through the Shorewomen and sniped her second tally in less than two minutes.
 
Following another strike by the hosts, Culver burned through another crowd of defenders and slammed home her third goal from the doorstep to cut CNU's deficit down to two at 7-5. Despite a pair of goals by Washington (Md.) in the middle of the stanza, Galvin converted a free-position attempt before Culver added an eight-meter dart of her own to keep the Shorewomen within reach at 9-7.
 
After Culver's fourth goal, Washington (Md.) grabbed the ensuing draw, but Walsh gave the ball back to the team's hot hand with a terrific play. A WC attacker slipped free deep inside the zone, but the sophomore goalie came bursting out of the crease and dropped the hammer to force a turnover and give her offense another possession with 16 minutes remaining.
 
With the momentum, CNU settled in for another sustained run on the offensive side. Running nearly five minutes off the clock, the visitors worked the ball around the zone while looking to pounce. Showing hustle to retain possession, Wilson and Hayes jumped on a pair of hard-fought ground balls following initial shots by the Captains. Later, Culver grabbed control again, earned a free-position shot, and converted with a bouncing bullet to pull the squad within one at 9-8.
 
Following a Washington (Md.) timeout, the Shorewomen won the draw, but Walsh was able to regain possession again. This time, she scurried out of the crease after an errant pass squirted across the turf. Battling with the WC attack, she eventually picked up the roller and flipped the field to give Culver another chance on the offensive end.
 
After a quick clear by the Captains, Culver took another hit and earned a free-position attempt. From the right side of the fan, she burst into the circle and drove home her sixth strike, which evened the score at nine. Moments later, after Ginebra forced a turnover and Hayes cleared the ball while battling through a double team, CNU had a shot to break the deadlock.
 
With seven minutes left, Culver barreled towards the crease again with a chance for another goal. Plowing through contact, she took a few hits and snapped off a shot while going to the turf. Although the ball whistled into the back of the net, the referees ruled that she had crossed into the crease and waved off her historic seventh goal.
 
Unfortunately, after the call, the Shorewomen retaliated. Following a yellow card on the Captains, the hosts converted a man-up goal with six minutes left to retake a 10-9 lead. Although Ginebra forced a late turnover and Hayes grabbed a huge ground ball to regain possession in the final moments, CNU's last ditch effort was turned away as WC ran out the clock.
 
Overall, Washington (Md.) held a 24-22 edge in shots and won 12 of the game's 21 draws. Meanwhile, CNU led the way in ground balls, 14-11, and converted four of the team's six free-position attempts.
 
Although the Shorewomen needed late heroics to pull out the victory, the squad got off to a tremendous start during the game. The hosts jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first 10 minutes before the Captains began to settle in. First, on the defensive end, Walsh made a pair of stops on eight-meter shots, while Mackenzie Regen forced a turnover and cleared the ball through bruising contact.
 
Meanwhile, on the offensive end, Erin Callahan cut through the defense and earned a one-on-one situation with the goalie, but her shot just missed high. Moments later, Culver smoked a laser off the pipe before the Shorewomen regained possession and pieced together back-to-back goals to steal a 5-0 edge with six minutes left in the half.
 
Needing to respond, CNU broke through in the 27th minute. Showing great ball movement, Wilson settled behind the crease and fed a pass to Galvin, who found herself along the near side. Drawing the defense's attention, the senior slipped a feed to Julia Golden, who secured the pass and unloaded a rocket on the run to put the Captains on the board.
 
Following the offensive stand, the defense stepped up as well to keep the deficit at four entering the break. First, D'Arcy caught up to a breakaway and forced a turnover before Ginebra jumped on the loose ball. Later, in the final few seconds of the period, Ginebra grabbed another roller following a Washington (Md.) miscue to end another threat entering halftime.
 
Unfortunately, despite Culver's historic efforts and another huge second-half rally, Christopher Newport fell just short on the way to the squad's second setback of the year.
 
The Captains will look to bounce back tomorrow at 4 p.m. when the squad travels to Haverford for a non-conference test.
 
---CNU---