NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Syd Guidi erupted for a career-high eight points, including six goals, while leading the Christopher Newport women's lacrosse team to a 19-16 win over Randolph-Macon on a wild Wednesday evening at Jennings Family Stadium.

Against the Yellow Jackets, Guidi was electric throughout the 60-minute battle while registering four points in both halves. The second-year star also collected a team-high eight draw controls. With that performance, she became the first Captain with at least six strikes and six draws in a single game since former All-American Sarah Culver accomplished the feat against Shenandoah on March 2, 2019.

Along with Guidi's work, Kelsey Winters added seven points, including five assists, while Zoe Dyer had four tallies. Alexis Kasuda also netted a hat-trick of her own, and Eleanor Collins had six draws and a pair of goals.

On the defensive side, Emma Jackson came through with four takeaways against the Yellow Jackets, while Maddie Rusinko added three.

With the victory, Christopher Newport improves to 4-4 on the season, while the setback drops Randolph-Macon to 3-4.

In the early going, the Captains flashed on both sides of the ball. First, on the offensive end, Kasuda kicked things off with an eight-meter missile. Then, on the defensive side, Jackson came through with a huge check to force a turnover, while Lizzie Burgoyne stoned a low liner on a free-position attempt.

Although the Yellow Jackets were eventually able to slip out to a modest 2-1 edge, Christopher Newport retaliated. Over the final eight minutes of the first quarter, the Captains strung together five straight goals, including a pair of eight-meter darts by Winters and Lindsay Connell. Guidi also kick-started her evening with a rocket from the right side, while Collins and Kasuda also found the back of the cage on the way to a 6-2 lead.

Keeping the momentum early in the second stanza, Guidi converted on a tough angle from the right side of the field for her second goal, while Dyer found Winters on a nice give-and-go to secure an 8-2 advantage.

Staring at a lopsided deficit, Randolph-Macon clawed back into the game with four consecutive tallies.

Needing to respond. Kendall Krause and Guidi fired back with two straight goals during a 50-second blitz. Later, Guidi also flashed her passing skills with a gorgeous feed inside to Collins, who buried a bullet on the run in the final minute of the first half.

Unfortunately, Randolph-Macon was undeterred. Trading blows, the Yellow Jackets eventually chopped their deficit back down to two early in the second half. Refusing to hand over the lead, Guidi found her rhythm again with a pair of goals, including a gorgeous strike on a run up the center of the field after securing a draw in the 34th minute.

Once again, RMC fought back and chiseled Christopher Newport's advantage down to one at 13-12 with seven minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Needing to step up on both ends of the field, Rusinko came through with a fantastic ride at the top of the zone before knocking the ball away from a Macon midfielder. Pouncing on the roller, Riley Rafterry-Lee eventually secured the ball and jump-started a successful clear, which led to Dyer's first goal of the game. 

Later in the period, Guidi came through with her sixth goal after a quick draw by Collins before Dyer capitalized on a slick feed by Sloane McDonald to gain a 16-13 lead.

Although Randolph-Macon closed out the third quarter with one more goal, Christopher Newport opened the final stanza with a tremendous tally. Facing short time on the possession clock, Winters chased down a loose ball along the end line. Looking to make haste, the junior All-American threaded a pinpoint pass through a host of defenders. On the receiving end, Dyer snagged the feed and converted just before the horn sounded.

After regaining a three-goal lead, the defense found its footing in the middle of the period. Playing shorthanded after the hosts were hit with a card, Rafterry-Lee came through with a momentum-turning takeaway, which handed the ball back to the attack. Taking advantage, Dyer and Kasuda eventually added two straight daggers, which gave Christopher Newport a 19-15 lead.

With their backs against the wall, the Yellow Jackets attempted to respond but struggled to find an answer in the waning moments of the game. Izzy Shefrin closed off the cage with a key save before Joely Stevens grabbed the loose ball and cleared the zone. Later, Madi Rozgonyi dislodged the ball from the stick of an attacker, while Rusinko added another takeaway in the final moments to help close out the win.

Overall, Christopher Newport held a 31-30 edge in shots and a 15-9 lead in ground balls. Jackson paced the Captains with three rollers, while Krause, Stevens, Rafterry-Lee, and Burgoyne had two apiece. Burgoyne also finished with four saves while securing her first win, and Shefrin added two stops during her work in the second half.

Christopher Newport will return to action on Saturday when the team hosts Roanoke at 1 p.m.

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