NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Suffocating the opposition with a 60-minute masterpiece, the fourth-ranked Christopher Newport men's lacrosse team stormed past No. 19 Ursinus, 16-5, during a nationally-ranked showdown on a wintery Wednesday evening at Jennings Family Stadium.

Blanketing the field throughout the game, Max Wayne anchored a stout back line while forcing six turnovers, which equaled the seventh most by a Captain in program history. Meanwhile, Burke Widhelm and Phoenix Hines also contributed four takeaways apiece as the Captains baited the opposition into 25 total turnovers.

Along with the long-poles, Zac Hanway stoned 10 shots during his time between the pipes. That marked his second straight double-digit save performance of the season.

On the offensive side, Coby Auslander handed out six assists, which equaled the second-highest total in program lore. Meanwhile, Brady Altobello added a little history of his own. The senior All-American had three goals and a pair of assists. With his five points, he bumped his career total to 143, which moved him past former legend Randy Foster for the most by a midfielder in school history.

Along with Auslander and Altobello, Dylan Rice and Andrew Cook each added three goals, while Warner Cabaniss remained a standout on faceoffs. The freshman won 13 of his 19 battles while collecting nine ground balls.

With the victory, Christopher Newport improves to 6-0 on the season, while the setback drops Ursinus to 2-2.

After Alex Brendes gave the Captains an early lead with a dagger in the first minute of action, Wayne stepped up with a remarkable run. Bullying the opposition with an endless array of defensive tactics, he used a series of deflections, checks, and brute force to register five takeaways in the opening quarter while keeping a lid on the potent Ursinus attack.

While Wayne was starring on the back end, the offense found its rhythm. Drew Miller kissed the crossbar with a high-rising rocket before Auslander snapped off his first strike following a feed from Altobello. With a 3-1 lead entering the final minute of the opening quarter, the Captains came through with one final highlight.

On the defensive end, Widhelm got his stick into a passing line and deflected a feed on the interior before Wayne snatched the roller and kicked off a quick clear. Capitalizing on the other end, Miles Collins unloaded a screamer on the run to snatch a 4-1 lead.

In the second stanza, the two teams traded early goals, including a bolt by Miller off a slick feed from Luke Nardone. Later, Christopher Newport's midfield unit stepped up with a fantastic defensive run. First, Auslander tied an attacker in knots before punching the ball out with a stick lift during a one-on-one battle in the left corner. Minutes later, Cook blew up a clear attempt with a huge trail check at midfield to clamp down on an odd-man rush.

Although Ursinus eventually slipped a shot through the defense to pull back within two at 5-3, Christopher Newport pieced together a momentum-turning rally at the end of the first half.

With just over 60 seconds left in regulation, the Captains broke out the hidden ball trick. Rolling over the top of the defense, Altobello faked a flip before continuing his motion around the zone. With the Bears searching for the ball, Altobello fired a pass inside to Cook, who blasted home a pointblank dart.

Just over 30 seconds later, following a quick faceoff victory by Cabaniss, Altobello capped off the first half with a laser from the left side to secure a 7-3 advantage.

After halftime, Christopher Newport put the game on ice with an early onslaught in the third quarter. Altobello continued his afternoon with a strike off a feed from Auslander before Rice slammed home two straight darts during a minute-long assault.

Shortly thereafter, Auslander saved a lengthy possession with a clutch ground ball before setting up a goal by Brendes. Moments later, Rice showed off his defensive chops with a trail check along the left sideline that closed off a clear attempt by the visitors. Capitalizing on the play, Robby Adams eventually whistled a one-timer on the move to grab a 12-3 lead midway through the quarter.

Continuing to silence the Bears, Hines dropped the hammer on a pair of Ursinus rallies to keep the visitors off the board. Taking advantage of the defensive work, Altobello banged his third goal off the right pipe before Cook used some slick footwork to torch a defender on the way to the squad's 14th goal.

Entering the final stanza with a commanding 14-3 lead, Christopher Newport remained vigilant on both ends of the field. Early in the fourth quarter, Widhelm stripped a Bear during a one-on-one battle, while Wayne absolutely buried another attacker who attempted to roll through the zone before David Gonzalez snatched the loose ball.

Meanwhile, on the other end, Cook and Rice added the final two nails, which helped lock up the 16-5 triumph.

During the game, Christopher Newport out-shot the visitors, 56-30. The Captains also held a 50-33 edge in ground balls while winning 16 of the game's 25 faceoffs. Along with Cabaniss' nine rollers, Wayne and Hines added four ground balls apiece, while Hanway and Campbell Pozin picked up four each.

Christopher Newport will return to action on Sunday when the squad hosts Illinois Wesleyan at 1 p.m.

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