NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Piecing together the finest debut in program history, Dylan Rice erupted for five goals in his first collegiate appearance, while Tony Cruz established a new career record for faceoff victories as the Christopher Newport men's lacrosse team kicked off 2018 with a 12-7 victory over No. 20 Washington & Lee during the second annual Lacrosse the Nations Cup on a chilly Wednesday evening at Captains Turf Field.
 
Showcasing his efforts on the offensive end, Rice became the first freshman in school history to record five goals in his debut. Meanwhile, fellow first-year star Jackson Deal added two goals and an assist, while Drew Magnusson headlined the upperclassmen with three points. Overall, six different Captains found the back of the net against the nationally-ranked Generals.
 
Along with the offensive heroics, Cruz was masterful on faceoffs. The senior helped CNU dominate possession as he won 17 of his 22 battles and grabbed 10 ground balls. With that performance, he moved past Ari Elgort for the all-time program lead in faceoff victories with 542.
 
With the victory, Christopher Newport improves to 1-0 on the season, while Washington & Lee falls to 0-2.
 
From the outset, CNU established the tone with a suffocating defensive effort. Scott McAneney was a force between the pipes and made two quick saves out of the gate. Equally effective on the back line, Max Wayne crashed down on an attacker at the top of the crease to dislodge the ball before McAneney pounced on the roller. Minutes later, Phoenix Hines flew down the field and came through with a perfect trail check to force an errant shot.
 
Meanwhile, on the other side, Rice found his groove. Following a sustained offensive stand, Will Stockhausen took control on the far side of the field. After facing some pressure, he flipped the ball over to his high school teammate. With a clear look at the cage, Rice unleashed a screamer to break the scoreless deadlock and give CNU a 1-0 edge.
 
Picking up right where he left off in the second quarter, Rice capitalized on a skip pass from Deal for his second strike before Shane McKenna set him up with a perfect pass for his third tally with six minutes left in the first half.
 
With Rice holding a 3-0 lead by himself, the veterans joined the fun late in the second period. Magnusson tracked down a pass on the near side of the field, circled around the entire zone, and dodged a defender before snapping off his first strike. One minute later, Pat Matsko converted on a lefty tally after a gorgeous hesitation move before Magnusson came back with his second dart to snatch a 6-0 lead entering halftime.
 
One of the nation's top-ranked scoring attacks in 2017, Washington & Lee hit the ground running early in the second half. The Generals scored three of the first four goals in the period to inch within four. However, Rice continued to flash a hot hand after snapping off his fourth strike following a great dodge before Deal shook off a bruising hit in the interior to drive home his first collegiate goal.
 
Although the visitors retaliated to pull back within four at 8-4, CNU had the perfect response. Rice rolled past a pair of defenders before unloading his fifth strike. On the ensuing faceoff, Jake O'Connell tracked down a loose ball that was momentarily picked up by a General. Still fighting, O'Connell dropped the hammer on the midfielder to take possession. Capitalizing on the hustle, Magnusson connected with Deal, who buried a bullet inside the right pipe for a 10-4 edge entering the final quarter.
 
Still rolling in the fourth, Griffin Hanes looped a feed over the defense to Spencer Shipman, who converted on a low liner to grab an 11-4 lead. Although the Generals punched back with a goal of their own, the CNU defense continued to stifle the W&L attack. McAneney swallowed up their next attempt before Wayne fought hard along the far sideline to force a turnover with six minutes remaining.
 
Despite two late goals by Washington & Lee, McKenna came through with the final nail. After the referees put a shot clock on the Captains, Matsko dropped a pass to McKenna, who slipped free on a breakaway before landing the game's last strike.
 
Wayne finished the contest with a team-high three caused turnovers, while Hines and Will Cogan each added one to go along with a pair of ground balls. Deal also scooped up five ground balls, and Christopher Albright snatched three rollers as well. In the crease, McAneney finished with nine saves.
 
Christopher Newport will return to action on Friday when the team takes on Berry in Charlotte, North Carolina at 5 p.m.
 
---CNU---