NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Putting on another epic showcase, Abby Asuncion registered her second hat-trick in five days as the junior star helped carry the Christopher Newport field hockey team to an impressive 4-0 triumph over Catholic during a non-conference battle on a humid Wednesday evening at Jennings Family Stadium.
 
Following a four-goal eruption against Washington & Lee on Saturday, Asuncion continued her torrid streak with three strikes and an assist on Wednesday. With that performance, she became just the fifth Captain to record a pair of hat-tricks in a single season, joining Christopher Newport Hall of Famer Wendy Wilson (2001) and former legends Megan McCreedy (2004), Ashley Traylor (2006), and Kelsey Clark (2013).

The five-day span between hat-tricks also marked the shortest in program history, topping Traylor's eight-day assault against Randolph-Macon and Lynchburg in 2006.
 
Asuncion's onslaught also marked her third career hat-trick, matching McCreedy and Traylor for the second-most in program history. Only Wilson posted more hat-tricks after she notched four during her decorated career from 2000-02.
  
Along with Asuncion, Ainsley Miller scored her first collegiate goal, while Gabi Gray chipped in with four saves to register her first solo shutout. It also marked the team's second spotless performance of the season at Jennings Family Stadium after Gray and Paige Bowling teamed up for an 8-0 shutout in the home opener against Bridgewater on September 1.
 
With the win, Christopher Newport improves to 3-3 on the season. The setback drops Catholic to 1-4.
 
The opening period was a quiet affair as the two teams slowly found their footing. First, the Cardinals earned three straight corners, but the Captains were up to the task. The hosts withstood the initial surge as one attempt sailed wide before Marcella Sabbagh bottled up a rally along the left post to punctuate the defensive stand.
 
Later in the period, Mauri Ware orchestrated Christopher Newport's first scoring opportunity after swiping the ball off the stick of a defender and bolting up the field on a breakaway. One-on-one with the keeper, she was able to get the goalie on the turf, but the Cardinal made a tremendous play while sprawled out on the field to disrupt the run just enough to stop the rally.
 
Heading into the second quarter, Catholic came out of the break on a mission. Testing Christopher Newport's defensive unit, the visitors pressured the back line, but Nyla Lewis was up to the challenge. The senior clamped down on a pair of quick runs to stymie an early push. Later, after the Cardinals picked up two straight corners, she came back to break up the second attempt with a tackle at the top of the circle.
 
After brushing aside Catholic's second-quarter surge, Christopher Newport went back to work on the offensive end. In the 19th minute, Izzy Diz took possession near the defensive 25 and hammered a blast up the field that deflected off the stick of a defender. Chasing down the roller, Emma Logue flashed her wheels and snatched the ball while breaking free on the right side of the turf. With the rest of the Captains catching up, Logue whistled a centering feed through the zone to her reinforcements. On the receiving end, Asuncion secured the pass and slammed it just inside the left pipe for a 1-0 advantage.
 
Hoping to retaliate, the Cardinals stormed down the field, but Brooke Billhimer was there to thwart their response. The freshman made a huge tackle deep in the circle on a lengthy burst by an attacker to brush aside the threat.
 
With time winding down in the first half, Christopher Newport picked up the pressure on the offensive end. In the final two minutes, the squad unloaded five on-target blasts. Unfortunately, Catholic remained vigilant on the defensive end as the visitors made five straight stops to keep their deficit at 1-0 entering halftime.
 
Following the break, the Captains put together another defensive clinic. Once again, Billhimer starred on the back end as the freshman broke up a long run into the circle just two minutes into the third quarter. Later, she stole a lengthy roller from an attacker, who was mere moments away from leaking free on a breakaway.
 
Searching for a little breathing room, Christopher Newport found its rhythm on the offensive end midway through the third.
 
In the 40th minute, Maddison Steele cleared the defensive zone and battled through a physical confrontation with a Cardinal to secure possession near midfield. After breaking into the clear, she handed the ball off to Katie Abendschoen, who weaved her way into the circle after sidestepping a host of defenders.
 
With the Cardinals blanketing Abendschoen, the freshman sliced a roller to Asuncion, who immediately pounded a shot towards the cage. Slipping behind the goalie, Miller found herself in a perfect position to redirect the bullet around a defender along the right post to register her first collegiate tally
 
Less than two minutes later, Christopher Newport returned to the scene. This time, Chloe Thompson sent a spinner into the circle. With Logan Beal blocking out a pair of defenders along the left post, the ball trickled free. Snatching possession, Asuncion drew the goalie out of the cage. Fearing a pointblank rip, the keeper hit the deck to cut off an angle. Showing phenomenal stick skills, the junior simply kept possession, scooted a few more feet to her right, and launched an absolute screamer for her second goal of the game.
 
Staring at a 3-0 deficit, Catholic tried to mount a response but struggled to crack Christopher Newport's back line. First, Gray stoned a rocket off a corner attempt. Later, Lainey Pratzner pressured a pair of attackers along the right side of the field to prevent an insertion while closing out the third stanza.
 
Entering the final 15 minutes, the Captains pieced together several fourth-quarter highlights. First, on the offensive end, Christopher Newport stretched the lead with a gorgeous play off a corner in the 47th minute.
 
After Ware inserted the ball to Lewis, the senior used a fancy, behind-the-back flip to send the roller to Vivian Pope. Seconds later, the junior smoked a laser towards the cage. Screening the goalie on the inside, Asuncion simply tossed her stick out and deflected the rising rocket past the keeper to polish off her third career hat-trick.

With little left to prove, the Captains settled in on the defensive end to complete the shutout. Following a lengthy push by the Cardinals, Morgan Arthur pressured a centering feed on the right side of the field to prevent a clean look by the visitors. Later, she took possession along the sideline and calmly marched the ball up the field to give the defense a break.
 
Although Catholic returned to the offensive end, Diz stoned a run along the left side of the zone. Later, after Christopher Newport cleared it again, Sabbagh kept it on the right side of the field. The junior ripped the ball away from a midfielder near the offensive 25 before pounding it into the circle. Eventually, that pressure generated two late corners, which helped the Captains control the last few minutes of regulation while locking up the victory.
 
Overall, Christopher Newport held a 19-6 edge in shots and a slim 8-7 lead in corners.
 
The Captains will return to action on Saturday when the squad travels to Baltimore for an 11 a.m. test against No. 2 Johns Hopkins.
 
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