SALISBURY, Md. -- Although a strike by Jackie Kotoriy evened the score early in the second half, the 15th-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team could not pull ahead as No. 7 Salisbury capitalized on a goal in the 67th minute to steal a 2-1 victory on Wednesday evening during a Capital Athletic Conference tilt at Sea Gull Stadium.
 
With the setback, CNU will enter the upcoming CAC playoffs as the league's No. 3 seed. The Captains will host a first-round battle against Frostburg State on Sunday at 2 p.m. The winner of that contest will advance to a semifinal showdown at York (Pa.) next Wednesday.
 
The Captains wrap up the regular season with an 11-5 record, including a 4-2 ledger against conference opponents. Salisbury stands at 14-2 with a 5-0 mark in league play. The Sea Gulls will now enter the playoffs as the No. 1 seed.
 
Just three minutes into Wednesday's contest, Salisbury opened the scoring before the CNU defense dug in. After the Sea Gulls regained control, Brittan Muir made a stand while grabbing possession of the ball and a Sea Gull's stick during a vicious encounter along the far sideline. Shortly thereafter, she and Courtnie Greene cut off a run into the circle before Bailey Miller pestered another attacker to prevent a separate surge.
 
Continuing to pressure the CNU defense, the Sea Gulls earned a pair of corners in the middle of the first half. On the first attempt, Kennedy Johnson blocked a big shot from slipping through near the right post. Later, after a pair of tackles by Izzy Diz frustrated another lengthy rally, Rachel Cooke helped close off the second corner with pressure at the top of the circle.
 
Meanwhile, on the other side, the Captains began testing the SU back line. Greene made a daring, 25-yard run into the heart of the defense as the senior weaved her way through a slew of midfielders before whistling a shot wide. Minutes later, Rachael Allshouse burned up the field, cut around a Sea Gull, and punched a roller into the circle that just missed connecting with Greene.
 
Firing back on the other side, an SU attacker slipped free inside the circle and gained a clean look, but Muir fought her way back into position to force an errant attempt. Keeping the Sea Gulls off-balance, Cooke pounced on an insert near the arc, jabbed a ball away from a pair of midfielders, and deflected a shot on the interior during a tremendous defensive stand.
 
Looking to break free on the other end, Ariana Samuel had a run turned away down the middle of the field, while Fiest saw a shot roll wide. Moments later, Christopher Newport earned its first corner of the contest, but a Sea Gull got her stick on a dagger by Fiest, which sent it sailing over the cage.
 
Refusing to back down, Greene corkscrewed a bouncer into the circle, which handcuffed the defense and earned another corner with three minutes left in the half. After the first attempt was turned away, the Captains got a solid look on a second corner. Following the insert, Muir launched a rocket from deep. Miller eventually collected the shot and pounded away on the interior, but Salisbury's goalie held up to keep the one-goal lead entering the break.
 
After halftime, Christopher Newport continued its offensive efforts. Allshouse had a pair of runs up the field, while Greene chipped a shot to Nyla Lewis, who worked her way into the circle. Later, Allshouse had an attempt batted away before the Sea Gulls responded.
 
Trying to extend their lead, the hosts unloaded on the Captains. Refusing to break, Olivia Davis made a great stop with her blocker before Greene snatched the rebound. Continuing to stand tall, Muir pressured a gunner near the top of the arc and forced a bullet to sail wide before deflecting a reverse chip towards the center of the zone, which cut off another rally.
 
Following the defensive stand, CNU finally found an opening on the other side. After the visitors earned a corner, Miller inserted it to Fiest, who was anchored at the top of the arc. With a defender in her face, she pulled around the Sea Gull and lifted a dart that was perfectly deflected by Kotoriy into the back of the cage to knot the score at one.
 
Unfortunately, the Sea Gulls never relented. Pushing back against the attack, the Captains held up for as long as they could. Shortly after the goal, Miller disrupted an early response before Muir cleared the ball out. Later, Salisbury pushed its way back into the circle and earned two straight corners, but both were turned away, including a great block by Cooke on the first attempt.
 
Sadly, with the pressure building, Salisbury eventually capitalized with just three minutes remaining in regulation to grab a 2-1 lead.
 
Fighting until the bitter end, Muir stole the ball back from an attacker who was attempting to run out the clock in the corner. Allshouse eventually took control and pushed her way up the field, but the squad's last-ditch efforts were brushed aside.
 
During the contest, Salisbury out-shot CNU, 11-6, while both teams registered four corners. On the defensive side, Davis finished with six saves for the Captains.
 
---CNU---