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BUENA VISTA, Va. -- Showcasing its offensive abilities, the Christopher Newport women's lacrosse team posted its highest-scoring output in six years as the Captains stormed past Southern Virginia, 24-5, during a Capital Athletic Conference battle on Tuesday afternoon at Knight Stadium.
 
Hitting the opposition with a non-stop assault, CNU dropped 14 goals on Southern Virginia in the first half before adding 10 more after the break. Overall, the 24 tallies marked the fifth-highest single-game total in CNU history and the highest since a 26-1 triumph against N.C. Wesleyan on April 3, 2013.
 
The 19-goal victory also marked the most lopsided contest since Christopher Newport upended Wesley, 21-1, on March 14, 2015.
 
On an individual level, Julia Golden set new career-highs with five goals and seven total points against the Knights. Sarah Culver also deposited five strikes during the victory, including her record-tying 55th career free-position tally. That tied the school standard established by former teammate Meaghan Galvin from 2014-17.
 
Along with Golden and Culver, fellow senior Anna Bowers handed out three assists. Meanwhile, freshman Zoe Dyer went off for six points against the Knights, and Olivia Aumais added four. Overall, 12 different Captains notched at least one point on Tuesday.
 
With the victory, Christopher Newport improves to 7-6 on the season, including 1-1 in conference action. The setback drops Southern Virginia to 7-4 overall and 0-2 against league foes.
 
Swarming the Knights from the start, the Captains erupted early. Setting the tone, Culver scored four times in the first 10 minutes. She went straight up the gut for the game's opening strike before capitalizing on a low liner following a quick transition. Minutes later, she came through with her record-tying free-position dart after converting from a top hash before securing a loose ball and ripping on the run for her fourth dagger.
 
Along with Culver's early onslaught, Alexis Kasuda found Golden streaking up the field for a quick rocket, while Victoria Betterly hammered away on the interior in the third minute. Later, after Golden came back with an eight-meter strike, Aumais showed off her passing skills. The junior dished to Katie Orrison, who blew a screamer right through the SVU goalie. Later, Aumais shook a defender after spinning back to her left before catching Dyer on the inside for the squad's ninth goal.
 
While the offense continued lighting up the scoreboard, the defense smothered the Knights. Sam Wettengel disrupted a pass along the crease before Kasuda jumped on the bouncer. Betterly also ripped the ball right out of the stick of an attacker on Southern Virginia's next surge before Kaitlyn Ready snagged a high rocket after a Knight slipped around the right post.
 
Although the hosts eventually found an opening for their first goal with 11 minutes remaining in the first half, the Captains went right back to work.
 
Capping off her day, Culver landed the squad's 10th goal after weaving her way through three defenders before snapping a scorcher from close range. Seconds later, Cat Leighty used a knee-buckling cutback to clear her on-ball defender on the right side of the field before unleashing a sidewinder on the interior to earn a running clock with an 11-1 edge.
 
Punctuating the first half in style, Dyer sunk a shot while blanketed by a slew of defenders near the crease. Later, the first-year star added an easier strike along the left post following a fast clear after Lizzie Burgoyne slammed the door on a breakaway attempt by the Knights. With little left to prove, Kasuda added the final nail in the opening period after circling the defense on a lengthy run to snare a 14-1 advantage.
 
Following the break, the Captains continued to land blows. Leighty painted the right pipe with a quick laser to open the second stanza. Minutes later, Golden used a jab step to gain a little space before lofting a rainbow into the center of the zone. On the other end, Wettengel deflected the floater with her out-stretched stick and sent the ball spinning just beneath the crossbar.
 
After Burgoyne brushed aside a free-position attempt by the Knights, Jackie Baker slipped a perfect pass underneath the stick of her defender, which led to another goal by Orrison. Three minutes later, Golden pushed the lead to 18-1 after beating the shot clock following nice ball movement by Leighty and Wettengel on the far side of the field.
 
Although the Knights managed to slip in three of the next four goals, Christopher Newport never lost its rhythm. Aumais answered one of SVU's strikes with a blistering bullet just seconds after the ensuing draw. Later, Dyer and Golden teamed up on nearly identical strikes to snatch a 21-4 lead with eight minutes remaining in the contest.
 
With little left to prove, Krause added back-to-back goals, including a beautiful give-and-go with Bowers to shake two defenders along the right post. Later, with two minutes remaining, Taylor Walker dropped down and snapped off her first career tally with a fancy submarine shot to put the finishing touches on the victory.
 
Overall, Christopher Newport out-shot Southern Virginia, 31-15, and held a 20-17 lead in ground balls. The Captains also controlled 19 of the game's 31 draws, including seven by Krause. Meanwhile, Ready, Burgoyne, and Jessica Ross combined for seven saves while allowing just five goals during their time in the crease.
 
CNU will return to action on Saturday when the team heads to No. 5 Mary Washington for a 1 p.m. tilt.
 
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