WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Bailey Miller broke a deadlock with a huge second-half strike, while the defense smothered the opposing attack at the end of regulation as the 14th-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team upended Catholic, 2-1, on Sunday afternoon at Cardinal Stadium.

With the game even at one, Miller landed the final nail in the 46th minute off a feed from Courtnie Greene to snatch the victory. Rachael Allshouse also found the back of the cage, while Brittan Muir assisted on the game's first strike and helped anchor a defense that contained the high-powered Catholic attack.

The victory marked Christopher Newport's third triumph in five days and bumped the squad to 11-4 on the season. Meanwhile, the setback dropped Catholic to 7-8.

Early on in the contest, the two teams traded shots before the CNU defense dug in and made its presence felt. After a lengthy feed by the Cardinals, Miller stopped the roller deep inside the arc before Greene knocked down an elevated dart moments later. Continuing to blanket the opposing attack, Rachel Cooke blocked an insert at the top of the circle, while Olivia Davis batted away CUA's first on-target attempt.

Following Davis' save, Miller gained possession and laced a feed up the sideline to Sarah Coon, who did tremendous work to beat a defender in tight quarters and push the ball into the offensive zone. Settling in, Jackie Kotoriy lined a pass into the circle, but Courtney Fiest's shot was brushed aside. Later, Allshouse ripped a ball away at midfield and nearly took the stick of a Cardinal with her to keep the pressure on the Catholic defense.

Still looking for daylight, the Captains found a seam in the 26th minute. With some room to work well outside of the circle, Muir showed off her strength and walloped a screamer towards the cage. The ball eventually whistled into a scrum in the middle of the circle where Allshouse deflected it through the defense for the game's first goal.

Staring at a deficit, the Catholic attack tried to find its rhythm but struggled to crack the CNU defense. Nyla Lewis stonewalled a run near midfield, Izzy Diz bottled up a play on the far side, and Kotoriy blocked a shot with four minutes remaining in the opening period. Shortly thereafter, Kotoriy stole a pass from the Cardinals and pushed it over to Greene, who danced through a host of defenders in the center of the field before pushing the ball towards the cage to help run out the first half. 

In the second stanza, the Cardinals set up shop in their offensive end. Earning a steady stream of corners, the hosts kept the Captains on their heels. Cooke deflected a shot on the first corner before Muir knocked away a roller that slipped into the circle along the right post. Later, Cooke pressured another corner attempt before Greene got her stick on a rocket to help stunt the surge. Davis also made a pair of saves during the defensive stand, but Catholic eventually capitalized on its fourth corner to even the score at one in the 42nd minute. 

Wasting little time finding a response, Christopher Newport countered four minutes later. After the visitors earned their own corner, Miller inserted the ball to Fiest, who stood tall at the top of the circle. Cracking a dagger towards the cage, Fiest got the defense scrambling before the Captains took advantage. Grabbing the loose ball deep inside the arc, Cooke shuffled it over to Miller, who slapped home the go-ahead strike from the left side to secure a 2-1 lead.

Attempting to respond, Catholic pushed the ball into the circle, but Muir dropped back and gobbled up the attempt. Later, Lewis continued bullying the CUA attack as the freshman intercepted a pass at midfield before breaking up another play moments later along the sideline.

After withstanding the retaliation attempt, the Captains tried to flip the field. Looking to turn around the momentum, Kennedy Johnson fired a scorcher that was tipped by Allshouse and led to a corner. Fiest also won a battle down low against a pair of Cardinals to secure another corner, but both attempts were stymied at the last minute by the CUA defense. 

Entering the final 10 minutes of regulation, the hosts regained control and picked up the pace looking to force overtime. Up to the challenge, Diz cut off a pair of surges up the near sideline, while Greene backed her way through three Cardinals at midfield to help run some time off the clock. Later, Catholic returned to the circle and earned four corners, but Christopher Newport held up against the assault.

Kicking off the late-game defense, Cooke forced an errant attempt on the first corner before Johnson punched the ball away. Moments later, Cooke and Greene pressured a pair of shooters at the top of the circle to close off the second corner before Muir stayed deep on the third attempt and bolted out towards the far side to cover a Cardinal and block a shot.

Following a timeout, Catholic earned its fourth corner, but Muir walled off that attempt as well to keep the one-goal lead.

Remaining vigilant, Cooke grabbed the ball away from a Cardinal near the 25 before rolling back into the circle and knocking away a pass moments later. After CNU gained possession, Greene lofted an aerial up the field, while Johnson made a clutch tackle to keep the ball on the offensive end. Refusing to let the orb cross midfield, Greene grabbed another loose ball, while Allshouse deflected a pass shortly thereafter. Although the Cardinals regained control, Greene stood her ground at the 50 and took a punishing blow by a CUA midfielder to help disrupt the final surge and run off the last few seconds of regulation.

During the contest, Catholic held a slim 12-11 advantage in shots and an 8-5 lead in corners. However, Davis made four saves and the rest of the defense kept the Cardinals in-check to erase the statistical advantages and secure the win.

Christopher Newport will return to action on Wednesday when the squad wraps up the regular season with a 6 p.m. showdown at No. 8 Salisbury.

---CNU---