NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Living up to the preseason hype, the sixth-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team dominated in every facet of the game against Bridgewater as CNU kicked off the 2018 campaign with a 5-0 triumph over the Eagles on a sweltering Friday evening at Captains Turf Field.
 
After leading the NCAA in goals-against-average last season, the CNU defense picked up right where it left off. The Captains limited the Eagles to just two shots while facing only three penalty corners. Freshmen Izzy Diz and Nyla Lewis stepped in with solid efforts during their collegiate debuts, while senior Brittan Muir continued to blanket the field and also contributed a goal on the offensive end.
 
Along with Muir's strike, Courtney Fiest snapped off a pair of goals, while Rachel Cooke also contributed three points. Meanwhile, All-Americans Rachael Allshouse and Courtnie Greene played their usual starring roles as well. Allshouse contributed a pair of helpers, while Greene added an assist and helped frustrate the Bridgewater attack throughout the contest.
 
Setting the tone early, the Captains scored just two minutes into regulation. After earning a corner, Jackie Kotoriy inserted the ball to the top of the circle. Corralling the roller, Cooke quickly dished over to Fiest, who found a clear a shooting lane and tattooed the back of the cage with a one-timer to put the squad up, 1-0.
 
Meanwhile, on the other side of the field, Christopher Newport brushed aside Bridgewater's early advances. Muir plucked off a roller inside the circle before intercepting a second pass to disrupt another threat. Later, after the Eagles earned a corner, Greene came storming out of the cage and ripped the ball right off the stick of a shooter before clearing the zone.
 
Following the defensive stand, the Captains wasted little time extending the lead. In the 15th minute, Allshouse worked her way into the circle before finding Cooke. After taking control, the junior chipped the ball over the BC goalie with a beautiful aerial assault to push the lead to 2-0.
 
Equally effective on the other side, Muir disrupted a deep run, stole the ball from a pair of attackers, and slipped a roller to Lewis, who eventually cleared midfield. Minutes later, after the Eagles worked their way back into the offensive zone, Fiest bolted up the near sideline, caught up to a streaker, and stole the ball in a one-on-one situation to eliminate the threat.
 
Still swarming on the defensive side, Kennedy Johnson gained possession late in the half and used pinpoint precision to connect with Cooke from nearly half a mile away to clear the field and help wrap up a spotless first half.
 
Following the break, Christopher Newport went right back to work. After earning a corner in the 38th minute, the Captains saw their initial attempt turned away, but Allshouse kept the pressure on. After gobbling up the rebound on the interior, she slipped the ball over to Kotoriy, who blistered one home from the center of the circle to snatch a 3-0 lead.
 
Later, after Diz flashed her stick skills with a dazzling display along the near sideline to battle through a pair of Eagles, CNU went to work again on the offensive end. After the squad earned another corner, Muir took a lengthy feed at the top of the circle. Unloading a dart, she had her first attempt batted back but stayed with the play. Quickly grabbing the ricochet, she loaded up and smoked a screamer straight through the defense for her first goal since her freshman campaign.
 
Keeping the pressure on, Ariana Samuel unleashed a turnaround tracer that was barely handled by the BC defense before Natalie Corson had a tough deflection turned away by the keeper. Later, with time winding down, the Captains struck on one final corner play as Greene took the insertion before dishing back to her left where Fiest had settled. After grabbing the ball, she pounded another bullet to the back of the cage for the 5-0 advantage.
 
With little left to prove, the defense helped cap off the shutout. After Bridgewater earned a pair of late corners, Cooke blocked a shot on the first attempt before Bailey Miller hustled out and deflected a pass on the second opportunity to keep the Eagles scoreless. Shortly thereafter, a pair of freshmen helped close things out.
 
First, on the defensive side, Christina Slick intercepted a pass along the near sideline to end one last run by Bridgewater. Moments later, after Cooke took control, she threaded a pass up to Kirsten Zeigler, who was shot out of a cannon on a scorching sprint up the field. Cutting off the run, the BC goalkeeper came bursting out of the cage and eventually hit the turf while meeting the freshman near the center of the circle. Unfortunately, the goalie was able to get just enough of the ball to prevent one final strike.
 
Overall, CNU out-shot Bridgewater, 39-2, and held a 19-3 advantage in corners. Olivia Davis picked up her first career victory after 64 minutes of spotless action. Mary Grace Humes came in for the final six minutes and was equally flawless on the way to the triumph.
 
Christopher Newport will return to action on September 7 when the squad hosts Vassar at 3 p.m.
 
---CNU---