SALISBURY, Md. -- In a battle featuring two of the top defenses in the nation, the 19th-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team stood toe-to-toe with No. 1 Salisbury but came up just short in the end as the Captains surrendered a fourth-quarter goal during a 1-0 setback in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference opener on Wednesday evening at Sea Gull Stadium.

Keeping a lid on Salisbury's high-powered offense, Christopher Newport allowed just five on-target shots during the 60-minute affair. Lily Kerr made three stops between the pipes, while Brooke Billhimer contributed a defensive save, but the Sea Gulls managed to find an opening in the 48th minute to steal the victory.

Along with Kerr and Billhimer, Marcella Sabbagh blocked three shots against Salisbury, while Chloe Thompson deflected a pair of blasts.

With the setback, Christopher Newport falls to 12-4 on the season, including 0-1 in league action. Meanwhile, Salisbury improves to 15-0 with a pristine 2-0 mark against conference foes.

At the outset, Christopher Newport proved to be the aggressor and set the tempo in the first quarter. One minute into regulation, Alexis Morales earned a quick corner, but a rip by Sabbagh was blocked on the interior. Later, Morales intercepted an aerial, while Thompson and Lainey Pratzner had tackles along the right sideline, but the Captains could not quite flip the early pressure into a sustained offensive rally.

In the middle of the period, Salisbury gained some momentum but was stymied by Christopher Newport's defensive unit. On an initial rush, Thompson swiped the ball from an attacker before she could attempt a backhand shot from pointblank range. Later, the junior star knocked down a tough bouncer that leaked into the zone before the Sea Gulls earned three straight corners.

Holding up against the assault, Sabbagh blocked her first shot of the game in the center of the circle to cut off the first corner. Later, on the second attempt, Abby Asuncion served as the flyer and broke up a pass at the top of the arc before Kerr kicked away a rocket on the final try as Sabbagh gobbled up the rebound and cleared the zone.

With Salisbury continuing to apply pressure in the final minute, Katie Abendschoen eventually intercepted a roller, split two Sea Gulls, and sliced a feed up the turf to end the final first-quarter threat by the hosts.

In the second stanza, the Sea Gulls went right back to work on the offensive end, but Christopher Newport remained effective on the defensive side. Early on, Billhimer stayed in the face of a shooter and forced a rip to sail wide. Shortly thereafter, she deflected a pass at the top of the arc before Kerr made a fantastic kick save following a dangerous crosser that led to a blast on the doorstep along the left post.

Continuing their assault, the hosts eventually secured four straight corners in the middle of the period, but the Captains brushed aside every attempt. Headlining the defensive domination, Asuncion raced to the top of the circle and caused a shot to spin wide on Salisbury's first corner before ripping the ball right off the stick of a potential shooter to halt a subsequent rally. Meanwhile, Thompson cleared out a deep roller on the second SU corner, Sabbagh added her second deflection of the game, and Kerr punted a bullet along the right side to keep the Sea Gulls off the scoreboard.

Looking to generate a response on the other end, Maddison Steele jumpstarted a rally all by herself. In the waning moments of the first half, she orchestrated an incredible run up the right sideline. The second-year star grabbed possession, chipped the ball around a midfielder, and won a footrace to keep control in the corner before slicing a feed into the circle, which led to a corner.

Unfortunately, Christopher Newport could not quite capitalize as the Captains managed two shots, but Asuncion's first try was blocked by a defender before Sabbagh's follow-up attempt whistled wide.

Early in the third quarter, the visitors were shorthanded after getting hit with a card just before the break. Unfazed by the situation, Sabbagh blocked another missile by the Sea Gulls before Thompson added her first stop on the interior to help kill off the card.

Later, Salisbury picked up three more corners but struggled to crack Christopher Newport's back line. SU's best shot came in the 36th minute, but the Captains added a highlight-reel stop. On a corner play, Thompson disrupted a shot along the right side of the cage. The ball eventually spun free and trickled through the zone towards the left pipe. The roller found its way to the stick of a Sea Gull, who had a clean look at the cage, but Billhimer made a last-second stop to stone the ensuing shot with her third defensive save of the season.

Following the defensive stand, Emily Evans smashed the ball up the field to clear the defensive zone with six minutes left in the period. Looking to make hay, Christopher Newport kept the ball planted on the offensive end. Asuncion intercepted a clear attempt before Sabbagh plucked a roller at midfield. Later, Vivian Pope added a nice run of her own. The senior came through with a leaping play to snatch an aerial, and later, she stripped a Sea Gull with a gorgeous tackle before feeding the ball back to the attack.

Unfortunately, Salisbury held up and prevented the Captains from snapping off an on-target shot during the lengthy possession.

With the squad's performance during the first 45 minutes, Christopher Newport became the first team all year to keep the Sea Gulls scoreless through three quarters. Sadly, Salisbury broke the deadlock early in the fourth period as the squad struck in the 48th minute to steal a late lead.

Looking for more, the hosts tried to stretch their advantage but failed to gain any breathing room. Kerr walled off a turnaround attempt on the interior before Thompson shut off a rally along the right pipe. Shortly thereafter, Pope picked off a pass at the defensive 25, while Morales took control of a roller inside the circle before Asuncion cleared it across midfield.

With possession, Christopher Newport orchestrated its final surge of the game in the 57th minute. Sabbagh pounded a 30-yard seed that skipped off the stick of a defender and sliced right past Salisbury's back line. On the other end, Abendschoen settled the pass and fired a shot along the left post, but SU's goalie made a game-saving stop to slam the door and seal the victory.

Overall, Salisbury out-shot the Captains, 15-4, and held an 11-3 edge in penalty corners.

Christopher Newport will return to action on Saturday when the team wraps up the regular season with an 11 a.m. tilt against Mary Washington at Jennings Family Stadium.

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