NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Blanketing the field, the 17th-ranked Christopher Newport men's lacrosse team tormented Mary Washington for 60 minutes as CNU registered an 8-5 victory over the Eagles on a cool Wednesday evening at Captains Turf Field.
                        
Forcing 15 turnovers during the contest, the CNU defense kept Mary Washington in-check throughout the game. Drew Cornell forced three turnovers and collected seven ground balls. Phoenix Hines, Max Wayne, and Dylan Rice all caused three miscues as well, while Jake O'Connell matched Cornell with seven rollers.
 
Even helping out on the offensive side, back-line bruiser Will Cogan chipped in with an assist. Meanwhile, Drew Magnusson led the attack with three goals, while Lucas Barry and Matthew Crist had three points apiece. Tony Cruz also won 12 of his 17 faceoffs and secured five ground balls.
 
Showcasing stars all over the field, Christopher Newport also received a season-high 13 saves from Scott McAneney.
 
With the victory, CNU improves to 12-2 on the season, including 5-1 in league action. The setback drops Mary Washington to 7-6 with a 3-2 mark in CAC play.
 
Jumping on the Eagles early, the squad struck less than a minute into regulation. After securing a man-up situation, Barry broke out a fake flip behind the crease, curled around the right pipe, and unleashed a lengthy feed to Jackson Deal. Taking possession, the freshman unloaded a lefty laser into the back of the net for a fast 1-0 edge.
 
Just over two minutes later, the Captains came back for more. After methodically working the ball around the offensive zone, Shane McKenna fed to Magnusson, who landed an off-balance blow while tumbling backwards to snatch a two-goal advantage.
 
Responding to the early onslaught, Mary Washington posted back-to-back strikes to even the score with three minutes left in the opening period.
 
Unfazed by the resurgence, Christopher Newport shot right back. On the ensuing faceoff, Cruz won the ball forward to generate a fast scoring opportunity. Catching the defense on its heels, Crist took possession before using a quick skip pass to find Barry, who broke the deadlock with a dart from the doorstep.
 
After the offense regained a one-goal advantage, the defense clamped down. With two minutes left, McAneney made a spectacular pointblank save to end an initial threat by UMW. O'Connell also bullied an attacker along the crease and grabbed a loose ball, while Hines badgered an Eagle with relentless pressure and eventually forced a turnover to keep the 3-2 edge entering the second stanza.
 
With a fresh 15 minutes on the clock, the CNU attack regained its rhythm. Early in the second quarter, Rice dodged a defender and slipped inside for his 37th goal of the year, which tied the single-season freshman record. Moments later, after a quick clear attempt, Crist found Barry, who punched home his second tally to push the lead to 5-2.
 
Equally effective on the other side, McAneney made another stellar save during a man-down situation. Later, Conor James blocked a shot before O'Connell scooped up the rebound. Although Mary Washington was eventually able to find a sliver of daylight for its third goal, the defense never relented. Wayne stripped an attacker on the near side of the field, and Hines pounced on a loose ball to end another offensive stand, which helped close out the opening period.
 
Fostering a two-goal lead, CNU continued to shine on both sides of the ball in the second half. On the defensive end, Wayne caused another turnover, while McAneney made three early saves. Later, the offense added another dagger after Magnusson took advantage of a long feed by Deal to push the edge to 6-3.
 
Attempting to cut into the deficit, the Eagles ran headfirst into the CNU defense. Cogan and Cornell both bruised up a pair of attackers, while Wayne forced his third miscue during a lengthy stand. Although Mary Washington once again snuck free for a moment to inch back within two, the Captains never let the visitors get any closer.
 
In the fourth quarter, Hines and Cornell both forced turnovers, while Rice added a terrific trail check to rip the ball away from a midfielder with nine minutes left. Seconds after Rice's defensive efforts, Magnusson converted on the offensive side with a bullet to snatch a 7-4 lead.
 
Trading blows, Mary Washington responded before the CNU defense stepped up again. First, helping out on the offensive end, Cogan rumbled down the field after a save by McAneney. Grabbing possession, he loaded up for an attempt, which drew an Eagle and allowed Crist to slip inside. Without a clean look, he simply dished the ball to Crist, who hammered home the squad's final tally.
 
From there, McAneney did the rest. With the Eagles attempting to claw back into the game, the sophomore goalkeeper made one final stop from his knees on an absolute rip to close out the three-goal triumph.
 
Overall, Christopher Newport held a 36-30 edge in shots and a 43-37 advantage in ground balls. The squad also won 12 of the 17 faceoffs.
 
CNU will return to action on Saturday when the team hosts No. 2 York (Pa.) at 1 p.m. The team will hold its annual Senior Day ceremony before that game.
 
---CNU---