SALISBURY, Md. -- Capping off a phenomenal postseason performance, Sarah Culver registered five points, including four goals, but the Christopher Newport women's lacrosse team could not overcome an early deficit as No. 3 Salisbury picked up an 18-9 victory in the semifinals of the Capital Athletic Conference Tournament on Wednesday at Sea Gull Stadium.

After sniping seven goals in the first round of the tournament on Saturday, Culver wrapped up the playoffs with four strikes against Salisbury, including CNU's first three tallies of the contest. Catherine Leighty also drove home a pair of goals, while Julia Golden and Katie Orrison contributed two points apiece. Meanwhile, on the defensive end, Kaitlyn Ready notched 14 saves and collected two ground balls.

With the setback, Christopher Newport falls to 10-9 on the season. The victory bumps the Sea Gulls to 17-1 and propels the squad into the CAC Championship, which will be held on Saturday at Salisbury.

Early in the contest, Culver knotted the game at one. Just over four minutes into regulation, she found herself isolated one-on-one with a defender on the far side of the field. Pushing to her right, she got the defender to overstep before spinning back to her left. Breaking free on a run towards the cage, she snapped off a dagger just inside the left pipe to even the score.

Unfortunately, Salisbury broke free after that point. The Sea Gulls dominated possession and drove home nine straight goals to steal a 10-1 lead with 12 minutes remaining in the opening period.

Refusing to back down, Culver stepped up with a tremendous run. The junior deposited a pair of free-position shots in the span of four minutes. Later, she found Caroline Kurtz cutting towards the crease. After the freshman secured the pass, she pulled up just before touching the circle before driving home a dart from the doorstep to pull CNU back within seven at 11-4.

Meanwhile, the defense also found its rhythm. Salisbury attempted a hidden ball trick behind the crease, but Christopher Newport sniffed it out and broke up the centering pass before Hannah Curry grabbed the loose ball. Later, Corbyn Hale deflected a shot, Mackenzie Regen cut off a breakaway attempt, and Tess D'Arcy burned up the far sideline on a pair of successful clears to help CNU close out the first half. 

Although Salisbury grabbed a 10-goal lead early in the second stanza, the Captains quickly killed the running clock behind an outstanding run by Leighty. In the 36th minute, the freshman took a stick to the head and earned a free-position attempt. Showing her precision, she whipped the ball just inside the left pipe for her first strike. Three minutes later, she shook a Sea Gull on the near side of the field, switched hands, and burst around the defender before collecting her second goal to cut the deficit to 14-6.

Still rolling, Ready batted a shot out of the air on the defensive end before D'Arcy grabbed the roller and scorched the turf on another successful clear attempt. Although CNU's ensuing shot scooted wide, the Captains caught SU's defense on its heels. Quickly putting the ball back in play, Carly Wilson shoveled a pass to Culver, who ripped a rocket from the far side of the field to pull back within seven.

With the offense clicking, the defense also came through with a suffocating run. Taylor Walker caught up to a clear attempt and punished a Sea Gull while dislodging the ball, which Hale corralled. Later, Walker grabbed a ricochet off a pipe shot, Curry stripped a streaker, and Gracie Sanders helped knock the ball away from another attacker to hold the Salisbury offense in check.

Although the hosts eventually came back and tossed four straight goals on the board to snatch an 18-7 lead, the Captains never relented. With less than eight minutes left in regulation, Kurtz bullied her way through a flock of Sea Gulls to grab a roller and extend a possession. Later, Madison Callan dished to Golden, who tossed the ball inside to Orrison. After extending to catch the pass, she spun a defender and blistered a shot from the interior to inch back within 10.

Three minutes later, Orrison and Golden connected again on the offensive end. This time, Orrison was battling two defenders on the far side of the field with her back towards the crease. Showing excellent awareness, she found the open cutter as Golden ran through the defense, grabbed the pass, and converted for the game's final strike.

After that point, the defense closed out the contest. Hale stuck to a Sea Gull during a lengthy rally, preventing multiple rollbacks before shoving her right out of the scoring area. Later, Ready grabbed another shot and Walker knocked down a pass along the crease to end a separate threat before time expired.

Overall, Salisbury held a 43-18 edge in shots and a 16-9 advantage in ground balls. The Sea Gulls also controlled 20 of the game's 29 draws. Along with Ready, D'Arcy and Regen both scooped up two ground balls for CNU, while Culver finished with four draw controls to go along with her five points.

---CNU---