ASHLAND, Va. -- Registering the squad's third consecutive shutout, the 17th-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team continued to suffocate its opposition with another stellar effort as the Captains blanked Randolph-Macon, 2-0, during a non-conference battle on Thursday evening at Day Field.
 
Limiting the Yellow Jackets to just three shots, CNU controlled possession and held the hosts in-check throughout the contest. Meanwhile, on the other side, Lily Bryngelson opened the scoring with a first-half strike before Rachael Allshouse capped off the contest with a dagger in the final minutes to ice the victory.
 
With the win, Christopher Newport improves to 7-1 on the season. The setback drops Randolph-Macon to 3-3.
                                                                                
Setting the tempo from the very beginning, the Captains pounded away at the RMC back line. In the opening moments of the game, Courtney Fiest launched an early shot that was kicked away before spinning around a defender and pumping a dart from inside the arc that just squirted wide.
 
Although Randolph-Macon tried to clear the zone, CNU never let the ball alone for long. Alexa Weaver picked off a roller at midfield before Abby Cryts ripped the ball away from another Macon defender on the far sideline. Moments later, after the hosts sent a long feed down the middle of the field, Mackenzie Neylon split a pair of Yellow Jackets, caught up to the ball, and sent it spinning back the other way.
 
Back in control, Christopher Newport continued to hammer away on the offensive end. Carol Thompson caught up to a loose ball near the end line, cut back, and flipped a floater off a defender to earn a corner. Later, Allshouse drilled a deflection after an initial save to earn a second corner opportunity, but the hosts continued to clamp down.
 
In the middle of the period, the pressure continued to mount. Fiest sailed a pass towards the left post that just missed connecting with Thompson's stick. Later, Rachel Cooke gracefully spun circles around a pair of defenders on the far side to force her way towards the arc. Shortly thereafter, the sophomore lofted a teardrop off a corner attempt that was clipped in the air by the goalie's stick to keep the game knotted at zero in the 24th minute.
 
Looking to finally break through, Christopher Newport earned another corner opportunity in the 29th minute. After Bryngelson inserted the ball, she planted herself along the left post. With the play developing in front of her, she pounced on an opportunity after Fiest pumped a rope from the near side. Collecting the rebound, she showed off a soft touch and slipped a shot right through the legs of RMC's goalie to put the visitors on the scoreboard.
 
Staring at a deficit, the Yellow Jackets did their best to respond but continued to bang up against the stout CNU defense. Shortly after the goal, an RMC attacker wiggled free for a brief second near midfield, but an entire wall of defenders tracked her down before Brittan Muir poked the ball away and launched it in the other direction to keep the 1-0 lead entering the break.
 
In the second half, the Captains continued to brush aside every RMC rally while keeping the pressure on the Yellow Jacket defense. Kennedy Johnson picked off a pair of rollers, and Courtnie Greene battled and defeated anyone who was gutsy enough to challenge her in the far corner of the field. Later, after the hosts managed to get the ball into the circle, Weaver forced an errant shot before the defense faced its first corner of the game.
 
In the 47th minute, Randolph-Macon tested the back line on a corner play, but Christopher Newport passed with ease. Stephanie McKinney stoned a deflection along the interior before Muir cleaned up near the left post to end the threat.
 
On the other side, the Captains were ferocious. Fiest motored her way through a swarm of Yellow Jackets along the end line, but her attempt was blocked in the 50th minute. Just over 10 minutes later, Christopher Newport returned to the circle and added a little cushion.
 
After Cooke settled on the right side of the field, she came face to face with a defender just outside of the arc. Looking to make a play, she chipped a high hopper that bounced into the circle. On the other side, Allshouse cracked an initial shot that was saved. Showing her hustle, the junior scurried across the zone, grabbed her own rebound, and punched another rocket that spun into the back of the cage for a 2-0 edge.
 
With time ticking down, Christopher Newport settled in for the victory. Fiest continued to poke at the RMC defense with three late shots, while Allshouse and Greene had attempts turned away by Macon's goalie. Moments later, the hosts earned their second and final corner in the 69th minute, but Cooke battled through a pick and deflected the shot to lock up the shutout.
 
Overall, CNU held a 49-3 lead in shots and a 12-2 advantage in corners. McKinney earned the victory with 70 spotless minutes between the pipes, while Kelsey Stanley took the loss despite making 22 saves for the Yellow Jackets.
 
Christopher Newport will return to action on Saturday when the squad hosts Washington & Lee at 1 p.m.
 
---CNU---