SALISBURY, Md. -- For 60 minutes, the 23rd-ranked Christopher Newport women's lacrosse team gave No. 4 Salisbury all that it could handle as the Captains battled back-and-forth with their high-powered foe before falling, 17-14, during a Coast-to-Coast Conference thriller on Saturday afternoon at Sea Gull Stadium.
 
Headlining a potent attack, Zoe Dyer drove home five goals against Salisbury, while Kendall Krause and Cat Leighty both added six points apiece. Overall, the 14 goals scored by the Captains marked the most by a visiting team at Sea Gull Stadium since Gettysburg also struck 14 times against SU during the NCAA Quarterfinals on May 15, 2011.
 
Adding another layer to their offensive showcase, the Captains registered the most goals in a conference game against Salisbury since Mary Washington dropped 17 on the Sea Gulls on April 12, 2000. Putting that performance into perspective, seven of Christopher Newport's 12 starters had not been born the last time a league opponent accomplished what the Captains were able to do on Saturday.
 
Although the offense stole the show, Christopher Newport starred in all facets of the game. Becca Creekmore posted 12 saves between the pipes, marking her third double-digit effort of the year. Meanwhile, Sam Wettengel secured 10 draw controls, equaling the sixth-highest total in school history.

With the setback, Christopher Newport now stands at 6-4 on the season, including 1-2 against conference competition. Meanwhile, Salisbury is 9-0 on the year with a 4-0 mark in league action.
 
From the outset, the Captains stood toe-to-toe with their fourth-ranked foe. Less than a minute into regulation, Christopher Newport struck first as Krause dished inside to Dyer, who rolled to her left and blistered the opening strike for a quick 1-0 lead.
 
Although Salisbury was able to pull even at one, the visitors quickly clamped down on the defensive side. Creekmore made four straight saves, including back-to-back stops on a single possession that saw the Sea Gulls test her from both sides of the zone. Emma Jackson also added a fantastic ride to stay on the hip of an attacker and force an off-balance attempt, which was quickly gobbled up.
 
Salisbury eventually overcame the defensive pressure and grabbed a 3-1 edge, but Christopher Newport shot back. Krause punched home her first goal of the game along the right pipe, which led to an SU timeout. Following the break, Julia Iapicca immediately forced a turnover on the ensuing draw. With possession, the visitors worked the ball around the zone before Leighty drew a foul and capitalized on a free-position attempt, which knotted the score at three.
 
Trading blows, the Sea Gulls retaliated with a three-goal surge before the Captains answered with a run of their own. After Salisbury stretched the lead to 6-3, Eleanor Collins controlled the draw and worked her way up the field despite facing persistent pressure along the right sideline. Eventually, the freshman handed the ball off to the attack as Dyer cracked another goal on the doorstep to kick off a surge in the middle of the period.
 
Shortly thereafter, Krause unleashed a bouncer through the SU keeper to pull within one before Dyer leveled the game at six. First, the junior star won a battle off the draw to secure possession while wiggling through three Sea Gulls, who were blanketing her along the restraining line. Moments later, after Kelsey Winters handed the ball back to Dyer, she pin-balled a shot off the keeper and right pipe for the squad's sixth goal of the game.
 
Although Dyer came back with her fourth tally with three minutes left in the opening period, Salisbury was able to slip free and grab a slim 9-7 edge entering the final minute of the first half.
 
With time winding down, Christopher Newport battled back. Controlling the ball, Wettengel scooped up three straight draws during the waning moments of the period. Capitalizing on the extra possessions, Dyer spun around a defender on the interior for her fifth strike. Then, just before the horn sounded, the Captains added a highlight-reel goal.
 
With only five ticks remaining, Leighty pushed her way inside with defenders draped on her back. Although the ball was jostled loose after some contact, it bounced high into the air just outside the crease. Showing off her instincts and athleticism, Wettengel elevated over three Sea Gulls and swatted the ball out of the air and into the back of the cage to knot the game at nine entering halftime.
 
Following the break, Salisbury regrouped and strung together four straight goals early in the second half to take a 13-9 lead. Facing a four-goal deficit, Christopher Newport locked down on both sides of the ball while showcasing a relentless effort to battle back into the game.
 
First, on the defensive end, Hope Hunter deflected a pass behind the crease before Creekmore snatched the roller and started a successful clear. Taking advantage on the other side, Krause brushed off a physical confrontation with the SU keeper to earn a free-position attempt. With a wide-open cage, the junior scooted in from the right side and deposited her third goal of the game.
 
Continuing to rally, Leighty made a momentum-turning play to intercept a pass and stop a clear attempt along the right sideline. With an extra possession, Lindsay Connell snuck through three defenders and scored on the inside to pull the visitors back within two at 13-11.
 
Still chipping away, Wettengel put her heart and hustle on full display. After a ball hit the turf, she won a race for the roller while scooting past a slew of Sea Gulls to keep the play alive. Shortly thereafter, Iapicca circled the zone and capitalized on a screen by Winters before slipping a shot underneath the keeper.
 
With work left to do, Wettengel battled nearly the entire SU roster for 50 yards to control the ensuing draw. After she finally collected it along the end line, the Captains evened the score at 13. On the play, Winters flipped inside to Krause, who found some space between three defenders before bouncing a shot into the back of the net.
 
Unfortunately, Salisbury had a response. Breaking the deadlock, the hosts snapped off three straight goals to regain a 16-13 edge with 10 minutes remaining in regulation.
 
Refusing to back down, Christopher Newport continued fighting. On the offensive side, Leighty found Gracie Sanders cutting towards the crease. After grabbing possession, she dunked over the keeper to pull the visitors back within two.
 
Meanwhile, on the defensive end, Riley Rafterry-Lee forced an errant pass, which Jackson quickly secured to regain possession. After the Sea Gulls returned to the zone, Joely Stevens stayed glued to an attacker before shoving her away from the crease to prevent an attempt on the inside. Later, Jackson blanketed another Sea Gull and disrupted a feed, which Creekmore eventually picked up.
 
Sadly, the SU defense was equally stingy. The Sea Gulls kept the Captains at bay over the final few minutes before tossing a late goal on the board to lock up the 17-14 triumph.
 
Along with the high-volume scorers, Winters added two assists, marking her 11th straight game with at least one helper. That equals the fourth-longest streak in school history. Meanwhile, on the other end, Blake Hopkins made her debut and forced a turnover while playing solid defense along the crease to help impede the Salisbury attack.
 
Overall, the hosts held a 38-26 advantage in shots and a 20-9 lead in ground balls. The Sea Gulls also controlled 18 of the game's 33 draws.
 
Christopher Newport will return to action on Monday when the Captains travel to No. 20 St. Mary's (Md.) for a 4 p.m. test.
 
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