NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Behind another well-balanced team effort, the 16th-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey squad advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after opening the national playoffs with a 3-1 victory over Cabrini on a windy Wednesday evening at Jennings Family Stadium.

Kicking off the postseason in style, Maddison Steele opened the scoring with a dagger in the 10th minute. Although the Cavaliers eventually knotted the game in the first quarter, Marcella Sabbagh and Katie Abendschoen followed with second-half rockets to carry the Captains to the victory.

Along with the stars on the offensive end, Christopher Newport kept a tight lid on Cabrini's high-powered attack. Entering the game with the nation's ninth-ranked scoring offense, the Cavaliers were held to only four total shots. Wednesday's game also marked just the second time all season that Cabrini was limited to fewer than two goals.

On the defensive side, Chloe Thompson and Alexis Morales both blocked shots for the Captains, while Lily Kerr smothered a breakaway in the first quarter on the way to her 12th win of the season.

Wednesday's victory marked Christopher Newport's first in the NCAA Tournament since the squad made a run to the Final Four in 2013. Incidentally, the program's last triumph in the national playoffs featured a game-winning assist by former All-American Marlene Lichty, who celebrated Wednesday's triumph on the sidelines while serving as head coach Carrie Moura's top assistant.

With the win, the Captains improved to 15-5 on the season and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for a battle at No. 3 Rowan on Saturday at 11 a.m. The setback ended Cabrini's year at 14-5 overall.

From the outset, Christopher Newport set the tone on the offensive side of the ball. Putting immediate pressure on Cabrini's back line, Emma Logue connected with Vivian Pope, who cut around a defender and scampered into the circle on an early rush. Later, Lainey Pratzner had a rip turned away by a sliding save along the left pipe before she laced a centering feed through the zone that just missed connecting with several sticks.

Meanwhile, Abendschoen and Brooke Billhimer built a wall near midfield to clamp down on multiple clears as Christopher Newport controlled possession through the first six minutes of regulation.

Finally, in the seventh minute, Cabrini orchestrated a counterstrike. Slipping free on a 70-yard sprint, a Cavalier weaved her way through traffic near midfield before breaking free on a run towards the cage. Staying calm on the back line, Kerr kept her bearings. The freshman keeper came out of the cage, cut off an angle along the left post, and made a diving stop to eliminate the threat.

Following the defensive stand, Christopher Newport went back to work on the other end. From outside of the circle, Abby Asuncion smacked a bullet towards the cage. The ball deflected off the goalie, but Steele corralled the rebound and had an opportunity along the left pipe. Although the Cabrini keeper made a sprawling stop to stymie the initial push, Delaney Norr tracked down the roller and shuffled it back to Steele, who scooted into the center of the circle.

Facing a wall of defenders while racing to her right, the second-year star managed to unload a rocket across her body towards the left post. Despite her momentum carrying her away from the cage, she slipped a laser through the defense before crashing to the turf for the game's first tally.

Staring at a one-goal deficit, Cabrini quickly responded. Less than three minutes later, the visitors found an opening with a bouncer through traffic to knot the score at the end of the first quarter.

Back on even ground, the hosts refused to let the Cavaliers gain any more momentum in the second stanza. Early on, Pope and Morales had interceptions on opposite sidelines, while Abendschoen was a one-person wrecking crew in the center of the field. The sophomore star pounced on any pass that Cabrini attempted on the offensive end, including one play in which she stole possession, barreled through four Cavaliers, and sailed the ball back to Christopher Newport's attack in the middle of the period.

With pressure mounting, the Captains had a solid look in the 25th minute. Sabbagh uncorked an absolute screamer from the 25, which handcuffed a defender inside the circle and kicked off a scoring opportunity. Asuncion snatched the ball and whipped a one-timer from the center of the zone. Although the keeper made an initial save, Norr had a follow-up attempt along the post, but a defender walled off the cage to keep the score knotted at one.

Later, Christopher Newport secured a corner and had another decent chance in the 27th minute. Billhimer took the insert and blistered a shot into the circle, but Morales' deflection on the interior just missed the right side of the cage.

Still knotted at one in the third quarter, the Captains broke the tie in the 31st minute. Following a penalty corner, Morales had a rip turned away by the keeper. Remaining vigilant, she collected the ricochet and fired a second dart that caught the body of a defender on the end line and earned the squad a penalty stroke.

Taking the free shot, Sabbagh muscled a blast that deflected off the goalie's pad and tucked inside the right post for a 2-1 lead. That strike marked Sabbagh's second career tally in the NCAA Tournament after she capitalized on a similar stroke against Centre during the first round of the 2021 postseason. She is just the sixth Captain with multiple goals in the national playoffs and the first to convert a pair of strokes.

Holding a lead, the defense continued to brush aside Cabrini's advances. Morgan Arthur made a sliding tackle near the defensive 25, Logue and Pratzner stripped a midfielder with a double-team, and Billhimer came back with a highlight-reel play in the 40th minute.

After a Cavalier attempted to jumpstart a rally with a run up the right sideline, Billhimer punctuated the surge with an emphatic statement. The Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year dipped low for a tackle. After losing possession, the attacker attempted to go over Billhimer, but the second-year sensation went down to a knee, dropped her shoulder, and dumped the Cavalier on the turf after sending her spinning through the air. Incredibly, Billhimer kept control through the entire play and calmly tossed the ball back to the attack while punctuating the defensive stand.

Later, Cabrini returned to the offensive side and secured a corner near the tail end of the period, but Morales came bursting out of the cage and deflected the shot near the top of the arc to keep the one-goal lead entering the fourth quarter.

Looking for a little breathing room, Christopher Newport flooded the offensive zone early in the final stanza. During the opening moments of the period, the Captains picked up three corners and unloaded eight shots. Although the Cavaliers held up during the initial onslaught, the hosts never relented and eventually capitalized in the 52nd minute.

Following another corner, Logue inserted the ball to Asuncion, who circled to her right and drew the attention of two defenders. Flashing her vision and instincts, the senior star unleashed a no-look pass back to Abendschoen, who was stationed at the top of the arc. With some room to work, she whistled a seed inside the right pipe for the squad's third goal.

With a 3-1 lead, the Captains closed out the contest with solid work on the defensive side of the ball. Starring from end to end, Emily Evans stripped a Cabrini defender along the offensive 25, Thompson had an interception near midfield, and Billhimer cleaned out a roller that leaked into the circle with less than four minutes remaining in regulation.

Moments later, the visitors secured their final corner of the game in the 57th minute, but Asuncion and Billhimer pressured the ball near the edge of the arc, while Thompson secured possession after blocking an attempt on the interior.

After clearing the defensive zone, the Captains ran out the clock to close out the victory.

Overall, Christopher Newport held a 32-4 advantage in shots and a 14-2 edge in corners.

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