NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Putting the program's youth on full display, the Christopher Newport field hockey team capitalized on a second-half surge to rally past St. Mary's (Md.), 4-0, during a non-conference tilt on a sun-soaked Saturday afternoon at Jennings Family Stadium.
 
Featuring a well-balanced attack, four different players found the back of the cage for the Captains. Junior Vivian Pope laced her first collegiate goal after opening the scoring late in the third quarter. In the final stanza, Christopher Newport erupted for three more strikes as freshmen Katie Abendschoen and Lainey Pratzner joined sophomore Chloe Thompson as the offensive heroes.
 
Incredibly, none of Saturday's goal-scorers had appeared in a collegiate contest for the Captains before the start of the 2021 campaign. Abendschoen and Pratzner joined the program as freshmen this year, while Pope and Thompson had their initial seasons wiped out last year following the COVID-19 outbreak.
 
Along with the offensive standouts, Gabi Gray held down the fort on the defensive side. The junior goalie matched her career-high with six saves while remaining spotless at home. In 165 minutes this season, she has yet to allow a goal at Jennings Family Stadium.
 
With the victory, Christopher Newport improves to 4-4 on the season. The setback drops St. Mary's (Md.) to 3-5.
 
Following a week-long layoff after their last collegiate competition, the Captains took advantage of a strong defensive presence to keep the Seahawks quiet during the first half of the game. After St. Mary's turned away a pair of early shots by the hosts, the visitors picked up the pressure on the other side of the field.
 
In the sixth minute, the Seahawks slipped free on a dangerous rally. With the opposition flooding the offensive zone, Gray scrambled out of the cage and punted away an initial roller. Seconds later, Izzy Diz bottled up another rush and made a huge one-on-one tackle near the top of the circle to stunt a secondary threat.
 
Later, St. Mary's secured three late corners but struggled to find an opening. Gray stood tall between the pipes and made three saves, while Abby Asuncion disrupted the final corner after blocking a rocket from the top of the arc to keep the game scoreless at the end of the first quarter.
 
Continuing to attack in the second stanza, the Seahawks tried to breakthrough again but ran headfirst into a swarming defensive unit. Blanketing the field from end line to end line, Abendschoen dropped down for a tackle near midfield, Marcella Sabbagh grabbed possession along the left sideline, and Brooke Billhimer ripped the ball away near the offensive 25.
 
With pressure continuing to mount, Diz stoned another threatening surge up the sideline with a textbook tackle to help quiet the Seahawks entering halftime.
 
Following the break, Christopher Newport was hit with an early card and played shorthanded for two minutes, but the squad refused to back down. Pratzner cut crucial time off the card with a terrific run up the right sideline before the team returned to even-strength.
 
Back to 11-on-11, the defense added one final showcase to keep the game scoreless. Diz brushed aside another surge with a tackle near midfield, while Gray kicked away an on-target attempt. Later, the Seahawks earned two straight corners, but Nyla Lewis knocked away the first try before Sabbagh snatched the second to prevent any damage.
 
With time winding down in the third quarter, Sabbagh smashed a screamer into the circle on the offensive side in the 41st minute. On the other end, Maddison Steele corralled the ball in a crowded area and fought off a slew of defenders to win a penalty corner.
 
Looking to end the scoreless deadlock, Abendshoen inserted the ball to Lewis, who tapped it to Mauri Ware. With a seam across the top of the circle, the senior threaded a feed to Pope, who was stationed on the right side of the zone. After taking control, the junior knocked a perfectly-placed bouncer through three defenders and into the back of the cage for the game's first goal.
 
After cracking the scoreboard in the third, Christopher Newport put the game out-of-reach in the fourth. In the 47th minute, the Captains secured another corner. This time, Pope handled the insertion and absolutely torched a defender with a devastating cutback, which dropped the Seahawk to her knees. After freeing up some space, she slipped possession to Sabbagh, who pounded the roller inside to Asuncion.
 
Keeping the pressure on, Asuncion flipped to her right and slid a pristine pass underneath the goalie, who attempted to block the play with a sprawling stop. On the receiving end along the right post, Abendschoen grabbed the pass and slammed a laser just inside the pipe for her fourth goal of the season.
 
Less than four minutes later, Christopher Newport came back for more. Capping off an extended rally, Emma Logue popped a pass inside to Pratzner, who snatched the ball and painted the right side of the cage for a 3-0 lead.
 
With little left to prove, the Captains added one final dart with three minutes left in regulation. Remaining at the center of the action, Pope sliced a long hit from the sideline through the defense towards the circle. Snatching the ball, Asuncion weaved her way around the top of the arc before unloading a missile. Although the keeper stoned the initial attempt, Thompson was there to clean up. The second-year star quickly grabbed the deflection and deposited the rebound for the game's final tally.
 
Holding a 4-0 lead, Diz helped cap off the shutout. With the Seahawks flying up the field in the last minute of the game, the senior was a machine on the defensive end. She stoned one rally at the top of the circle before swiping possession away along the sideline to help close out the 4-0 win.
 
Overall, Christopher Newport out-shot St. Mary's (Md.), 18-10, and held a 10-6 edge in corners.
 
The Captains will return to action on October 2 when the squad hosts Concordia (Wisc.) at 11 a.m.
 
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