SELINSGROVE, Pa. -- After No. 10 Kean scored a pair of goals in the first eight minutes of regulation, the 14th-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team regrouped and was nearly flawless for the final three and a half quarters, but the Cougars managed to hold on and withstand a late push by the Captains to secure a 2-1 victory during a non-conference showdown on Sunday at the Sassafras Multipurpose Field on the final day of the Connie Harnum Classic.
 
Following Kean's early surge, Emma Logue responded with her second goal of the season in the 26th minute of action. Meanwhile, the defense stood tall and held up against a sustained assault by the Cougars, which produced 12 total shots. Christopher Newport's penalty corner defense was especially effective as the Captains faced 14 attempts but kept the cage clean on each of those tries.
 
In fact, Kean's 14 attempts marked the most by an opponent without registering a goal off a corner since Christopher Newport held Centre scoreless on 18 tries on October 7, 2018.
 
With the setback, the Captains fall to 1-2 on the season, while Kean improves to 2-0.
 
After opening the tournament with a 3-2 victory over No. 5 Salisbury on Saturday, the 10th-ranked Cougars came out on fire and tossed a pair of quick goals on the board to snatch a 2-0 lead. With pressure continuing to mount, Christopher Newport stepped up on the defensive side. Izzy Diz stayed on the hip of an attacker and forced her out-of-bounds along the left side of the cage before intercepting a pass in the middle of the zone. Moments later, Marcella Sabbagh remained deep and broke up a rally just outside of the circle to thwart another surge.
 
After clearing the defensive zone, the Captains attempted to find some rhythm on the offensive end. Keeping the ball inside the 25, Morgan Arthur made a nice tackle to stunt a clear attempt by the Cougars before Katie Abendschoen did the same on the opposite sideline.
 
Although Kean was eventually able to clear the zone and orchestrate a rally at the end of the period, Christopher Newport was up to the task. Facing a pair of penalty corners, Nyla Lewis bottled up the first attempt at the top of the circle before Gabi Gray closed off the cage on the second try to polish off the first stanza.
 
Looking for a response early in the second quarter, the Captains secured two corners in the 18th minute. Although nothing materialized on either attempt, Brooke Billhimer put on a defensive showcase to keep the ball on the offensive end. Playing well beyond her years, the freshman was a wall along the left sideline. During a two-minute stretch, she came through with four interceptions, including a nice pick on an aerial to keep the pressure on the Kean defense.
 
Although the Cougars were finally able to slip down the field midway through the quarter, Christopher Newport's defense was up to the challenge again. Diz played deep on a run and swiped the ball off the stick of a midfielder. Later, after the Captains were hit with a card, Billhimer came back with more excellent work while stealing a centering pass inside the circle during a shorthanded situation.
 
Following the defensive stand, the attack went back to work. With five minutes left in the quarter, Lewis won a battle with two Cougars and threaded a pass to Mauri Ware, who scampered along the end line and pushed her way inside. As a crowd formed around the crease, Logue snatched possession with the defense draped on her back and unloaded a scorcher into the cage for the team's first goal.
 
With time winding down on the first half, Christopher Newport attempted to pull even after Vivian Pope drew a corner following a run inside the circle. Unfortunately, two rips by Sabbagh were turned away by the defense as Kean continued to foster its 2-1 lead entering halftime.
 
Following the break, the Cougars went back on the attack. Kean had three corners in the first four minutes of the third quarter, but the Captains handled them with ease. Diz disrupted the first try in the middle of the circle, Lewis deflected a second shot over the cage, and Ware got her stick on a third blast that just screamed wide. Moments later, the opposition nearly found paydirt off a deflection along the left post, but Sabbagh made a huge play to knock the ball down with great stick work to prevent any damage.
 
Responding on the other end, the Captains marched down the field and set up shop on the offensive side. Although Kean attempted to clear the zone, Abby Asuncion made a sprawling stop to save the ball from leaking across midfield. Later, Sabbagh pushed inside and picked up a corner, but her rocket from the top of the arc was deflected by the defense.
 
Trading rallies, the Cougars broke loose during a 2-on-1 situation, but Diz stayed composed and slowed down the surge just enough to allow reinforcements to arrive. Later, after Kean received another corner opportunity, Diz upset the timing of the play, while Gray slipped out of the cage to pressure a shooter before hitting the deck and forcing a second attempt to sail past the post.
 
With time winding down in the third, the Captains had their best look at an equalizer in the final minute, but a rope by Asuncion just missed connecting with a stick along the left post.
 
In the final stanza, Christopher Newport faced a wave of mounting pressure. In the first eight minutes of the period, Kean secured eight corners. Relying on a varied cast of late-game heroes, the Captains stood up against the assault. Ware plucked the ball off the stick of an attacker who attempted to push inside on the first corner. Seconds later, Sabbagh blocked a try along the right post, while Lewis ran step-for-step with a Cougar to prevent a shot following an errant pass on the third attempt.
 
Still battling, Diz was a machine on the ensuing corners. During a sustained rally, she knocked down a rising rocket in the center of the field, deflected a pair of insertions in the middle of the circle, and cut off an angle on a rip from the top of the zone, which forced an off-balance shot to sail wide.
 
With time becoming a major factor, Christopher Newport tried to orchestrate a last-minute push on the offensive end. Ware found herself isolated with a defender on the right side of the field. Winning the one-on-one situation, she wiggled her way inside and sliced a centering feed through the circle, but a Cougar pounced on the roller. Later, Sabbagh stoned a clear attempt near midfield and Billhimer clamped down on a run near the 25, but Kean eventually slipped through the defense and settled into a corner to run out the final few seconds of regulation.
 
Overall, Kean out-shot Christopher Newport, 12-4, and held a 14-4 edge in corners.
 
The Captains will be back in action on September 11 when the squad travels to Lexington for a 12:30 p.m. showdown with Washington & Lee.
 
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