NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The 18th-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team dropped a 4-1 decision to Salisbury during the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Championship on a windy Saturday evening at Jennings Family Stadium.
 
After the Sea Gulls tossed a pair of goals on the board in the first quarter, the Captains were unable to catch up to the high-powered Salisbury attack during the title bout. Although Maddison Steele scored for the third straight game and Marcella Sabbagh added an assist and defensive save, the visitors were able to keep Christopher Newport at arm's length throughout the contest.
 
With her strike, Steele joined Jackie Kotoriy as the only freshmen in school history to score a goal during a league championship bout.
 
Meanwhile, Gabi Gray stepped up and posted a career-high nine saves for the Captains. That total also marked the most by a goalie in a playoff game since former All-American Bailey Lien had 18 stops against Salisbury in the 2014 conference championship.

Along with the statistical standouts, seniors Izzy Diz, Nyla Lewis, and Mauri Ware were named to the All-Tournament Team for their work during the championship bout. The postseason honor was the first for Ware and Lewis, while Diz became the first player in program history to earn the award twice. She was previously named to the 2019 All-Tournament Team.
 
With the setback, Christopher Newport falls to 11-5 on the season. The victory bumps Salisbury to 11-7.
 
From the outset, the Sea Gulls jumped out to an early advantage. In the first 10 minutes, the squad capitalized off a penalty corner and a bad bounce following a 20-yard rocket to snatch a 2-0 lead. Staring at a two-goal deficit, the defense regrouped.
 
On Salisbury's next push down the field in the 14th minute, Gray scooted out of the cage and punted an on-target rip. Later, the Sea Gulls continued to apply pressure at the tail end of the period, but Ainsley Miller picked the pockets of an attacker in the left corner before clearing the zone and keeping the visitors within reach entering the second period.
 
Needing a response, Christopher Newport nearly broke through early in the second quarter. After Vivian Pope intercepted a pass along the 25, Abby Asuncion carved up the defense on a nice sprint into the circle, which drew a corner in the 17th minute. Unfortunately, Lewis' ensuing shot was blocked by a defender on the interior.
 
Sadly, after the stop, Salisbury answered on the other end with a deflection off an initial save by Gray to steal a 3-0 edge.
 
Looking to toss another goal on the board, the Sea Gulls stormed back down the field and controlled possession during a lengthy offensive rally. Pushing back against the attack, Diz stoned a pair of shots following an SU corner, while Pope blocked a rocket of her own. Later, with pressure mounting in the final minutes of the first half, Gray made an outstanding save on a pointblank bullet near the right post before Sabbagh gobbled up the rebound along the end line. Shortly thereafter, Asuncion knocked away a shot off another corner to help close out the first half.
 
Following the break, Gray made an early save before Christopher Newport went to work on the offensive end. During a sustained surge in the 33rd minute, the Captains drew a corner and unleashed an assault on Salisbury's back line. Unfortunately, Pope's initial shot was blocked, while ropes by Sabbagh and Ware whistled wide.
 
Still trailing by three, Christopher Newport built a blockade to keep Salisbury in check. Sabbagh and Pope swiped passes away from a pair of SU midfielders, while Gray made a kick save following an on-target blast. Moments later, Diz bottled up a run along the right post before Asuncion picked off a pass and fed it to Emma Logue, who quickly cleared the ball up the left sideline.
 
After Salisbury returned to the offensive end, Katie Abendschoen snuffed out a run inside the circle before Diz put on an impressive display. During a two-minute showcase, the senior intercepted a ball along the left post, stripped an attacker during a one-on-one duel near the end line, and made a textbook tackle to thwart another rally on the right side to close out the period.
 
Unfortunately, after the Christopher Newport defense got the best of the Sea Gulls in the third quarter, the visitors struck just two minutes into the fourth stanza to snatch a 4-0 lead.
 
Refusing to back down, the Captains mounted their longest offensive rally of the game. Following a corner, Pope had a dart kicked away by the SU goalie, while Ware had one turned aside by a defender. Later, Steele saw a shot skip wide, but Christopher Newport remained vigilant and continued attacking.
 
Finally, in the 52nd minute, the hosts broke through. Sabbagh worked her way into the circle before slipping a feed to Steele on the right side of the zone. Finding some nice room between three defenders and the goalie, the first-year star quickly threaded a shot just inside the post to put Christopher Newport on the board.
 
Continuing to fight until the end, Diz stuck to an attacker on a run through the circle to help stymie Salisbury's response. Later, Lewis ripped the ball away on the inside of the zone, while Asuncion stoned an insertion near the top of the arc. Meanwhile, Brooke Billhimer grabbed an errant pass along the 25, and Asuncion blocked another shot off an SU corner in the 58th minute.
 
Sadly, the Captains could not inch any closer as a deflection by Lainey Pratzner on the offensive end just trickled past the post in the waning seconds to keep the final deficit at 4-1.
 
Overall, Salisbury out-shot Christopher Newport, 23-14, and held a 10-6 edge in corners.
 
The Captains will now await word on a possible at-large selection to the NCAA Tournament. The final bracket will be released by the NCAA on Sunday evening.
 
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