NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- After piecing together a remarkable regular season, Abby Asuncion continued her standout freshman campaign in the playoffs as the first-year star registered three points and set a pair of records while helping lead the 13th-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team past St. Mary's (Md.), 2-1, in the Capital Athletic Conference Semifinals on a chilly Wednesday evening at Jennings Family Stadium.

During the bout, Asuncion opened the scoring with a dagger less than three minutes into regulation. That strike marked her 14th of the year, breaking the program's single-season freshman record set by Annie Gehring in 2005. The goal also served as her seventh game-winning tally, toppling the all-time school record established by Rachael Allshouse in 2017.

Continuing an epic run, Asuncion has now scored in five consecutive games, which equals the fourth-longest streak in school history and the finest stretch by a freshman.

Also making some history of her own, fellow first-year phenom Marcella Sabbagh starred on both sides of the field. She assisted on Asuncion's opening goal before coming back with a huge defensive save that cleaned up a dangerous rally and prevented an equalizer by the Seahawks. That stop was her sixth defensive save of the season, tying former All-American Brittan Muir for the all-time freshman record.

Courtney Fiest also registered her seventh goal of the year with a physics-defying strike along the end line in the 37th minute. That tally marked her 27th career goal, moving her into a tie for 10th-place on  the program's all-time charts.

With the victory, Christopher Newport improves to 14-4 on the season and earns a trip back to Salisbury for a bout with the third-ranked Sea Gulls in the CAC Championship on Saturday. St. Mary's (Md.) rounds out its year with a 13-5 record.

Making an immediate impact during their first collegiate postseason game, Sabbagh and Asuncion teamed up on the opening goal. Just over two minutes into regulation, Sabbagh pushed up from the 25 before threading a pinpoint feed past three SMC defenders. On the receiving end, Asuncion snatched control, and in one smooth motion, she turned and buried a screamer just inside the right post for her historic tally.

After breaking through, Christopher Newport kept the pressure on the St. Mary's defense. In the third minute, Mauri Ware had an on-target attempt turned away by the keeper before Sarah Mueller had a rocket blocked by a defender after a penalty corner.

Trying to respond, the Seahawks methodically moved the ball down the field towards the end of the first quarter but struggled to find an opening. Blanketing the field, Rachel Cooke blocked an insert into the circle before Kennedy Johnson sent it spinning up the turf. After the visitors returned moments later, Sabbagh won a duel with an attacker inside the arc before ripping it away to help wrap up the opening period.

Keeping some momentum early in the second stanza, the Seahawks earned a quick corner, but Izzy Diz blocked the ensuing shot. Shortly thereafter, Nyla Lewis picked off a pass with an interception near midfield before Olivia Davis kicked away a quick dart from point-blank range after a threatening bouncer slipped deep into the zone.

On the other side of the field, the Captains continued to test the SMC defense but had little luck cracking a unit that came into the game ranked 11th in the nation in goals-against-average. Asuncion had a pair of opportunities turned away by the goalie, while Fiest and Bailey Miller had darts knocked down by the defense following penalty corners.

After withstanding Christopher Newport's advances, St. Mary's had its finest chance in the 29th minute. On an odd-man rush, the Seahawks had numbers on their side while pushing towards the cage. Davis came out to pressure the play before an attacker sliced a shot at the left pipe. With another Seahawk crashing down, Sabbagh bolted back, got her stick on the ball, and fired it out of the circle to keep the visitors off the board.

After Sabbagh came through with the defensive play of the game, Fiest added a highlight-reel play on the other side early in the third quarter. In the 37th minute, Miller flipped a ball into the circle before Asuncion pushed it to Fiest. Running towards the end line with a defender on her back, the junior appeared to be walled off from the cage without even a sliver of daylight. Unfazed by the situation, Fiest turned and elevated a shot from the back line. Incredibly, the rainbow sailed over the on-ball defender, cleared a leaping, out-stretched attempt by the keeper, and dropped just below the crossbar for the squad's second goal.

Staring at a 2-0 hole, St. Mary's tried to cut into its deficit with back-to-back corners at the tail end of the third quarter. Refusing to back down, Cooke blocked a blast on the initial attempt before Fiest ripped the ball off the stick of a shooter during the second try to keep the shutout intact entering the fourth stanza.

With time becoming a factor, the Seahawks picked up the pressure in the final period. Holding up well during an early surge, Diz picked off a centering pass before Sabbagh snatched one a few moments later. Although St. Mary's was eventually able to find an opening shortly after a corner in the 49th minute, Christopher Newport refused to let the visitors draw even.

Pushing back against the Seahawks during the middle of the fourth quarter, the Captains ran some crucial time off the clock on the offensive end before the defense closed things out. In the final minute while still staring at a 2-1 deficit, St. Mary's tried to push the ball back into the offensive zone. Putting the brakes on the late rally, Miller disrupted a run along the far sideline and poked away a roller that slipped inside the arc.

Still fighting, the Seahawks fired a last-ditch attempt towards the cage, but Davis punted away the final threat before the horn sounded.

Overall, Christopher Newport held a 16-9 edge in shots and a 7-5 lead in corners. Davis finished the contest with three saves to earn the victory, while Kelbey Egerland added four stops for St. Mary's.

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