NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Maddison Steele and Chloe Thompson both registered a pair of goals while leading the 16th-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team to a 6-0 victory over Bridgewater during a non-conference showdown on a sweltering Thursday evening at Jennings Family Stadium.
 
Against the Eagles, Steele and Thompson opened the year in explosive fashion as the two standouts recorded their first career multi-goal efforts. Meanwhile, eight total players collected at least one point, including a pair of helpers by Brooke Billhimer.
 
Among the other offensive standouts, Emily Evans made a little history during the contest. The first-year star chipped in with three points after assisting on a strike in the opening quarter before landing the final dagger in the fourth stanza. With that performance, she became just the fourth player in program history to tally a goal and an assist in her collegiate debut, joining current teammate Katie Abendschoen (2021) as well as former legends Jackie Kotoriy (2017) and Anne Gehring (2005).
 
Emma Logue rounded out the goal-scorers with a blast in the third quarter, while Marcella Sabbagh, Gwendolyn Via, and Abby Asuncion all added assists.
 
Meanwhile, on the defensive side, Christopher Newport suffocated the competition. The squad did not allow a single shot until the final seconds of the contest, and Lily Kerr abruptly handled Bridgewater's only on-target attempt to polish off the shutout. She and Gabi Gray both worked 30 pristine minutes in the cage, while the defense kept a lid on the Eagles throughout the battle.
 
Less than three minutes into regulation, Thompson put the Captains on the board. After the team earned a penalty corner, the junior inserted a pinpoint feed to Billhimer, who was stationed at the top of the circle. Securing the pass, the second-year star rifled the ball back to Thompson, who deflected the rip along the left pipe for the game's first tally.
 
Moments later, after Sabbagh disrupted Bridgewater's response with an interception along the top of the arc, the offense went back to work. In the eighth minute, Evans picked off a pass and quickly flipped the field. Pushing forward, she threaded the ball to Steele, who was anchored along the left side of the zone. In tight quarters, the sophomore spun back and sent a shot spiraling between the keeper and a pair of defenders to snatch a 2-0 lead.
 
Keeping the ball on the offensive end, Brie Mallozzi put on a clinic on the right side of the field. A pair of Eagles attempted to clear the zone, but the freshman won a battle for possession, played the ball off a defender's foot, and sent a crisp feed down low to Logue, who just missed connecting along the right pipe. Shortly thereafter, Mallozzi secured a perfect pass from Alexis Morales and slipped a centering feed through two Eagles, but another defender managed to break up the pass at the last minute to keep the 2-0 deficit entering the second stanza.
 
Following the short break, Christopher Newport returned to the field and kept the pressure on Bridgewater's defense. Out of the gate, the Captains pushed the ball down the turf and refused to let the visitors gain possession. Abendschoen cut off an initial clear before Sabbagh snatched another pass near midfield. After bursting by a pair of Eagles, the senior spun a 25-yard pass to Steele, who capped off the play with an early contender for "Goal of the Year."
 
After securing the feed with her back towards the cage, Steele found herself flanked by the Bridgewater goalie. With little space to work, the second-year sensation never even turned around. She simply elevated and unleashed a no-look, between-the-legs blast that sailed right through the keeper and into the back of the cage for a 3-0 edge.
 
Marching towards halftime, Christopher Newport struck again in the 27th minute. After Evans earned a corner following a solid run into the circle, Thompson inserted the ball to Asuncion, who shuffled it over to Billhimer. From the edge of the zone, the sophomore unloaded an initial shot that was deflected by a defender. After regaining control, she uncorked a screamer that eventually found its way back to Thompson, who hammered home her second dart of the game.
 
Leading 4-0 entering the third quarter, the Captains continued to shine on both ends of the field. Kicking off the second-half scoring, Asuncion won a battle for possession near the 25 and split a pair of Eagles before feeding the ball to Via. After the freshman took control, she sent a bouncer through the zone to Logue. From the center of the circle, the senior lifted a bullet into the back of the cage for her first goal of the year.
 
Later in the period, Billhimer broke up a pass near the edge of the circle to thwart Bridgewater's deepest rally. Shortly thereafter, Delaney Norr flipped the field while flashing her speed and outsprinting the BC defense during a tremendous run up the right side of the turf to help close out the third quarter.
 
In the final frame, Billhimer stayed deep and clamped down on another rally by the Eagles before Vivian Pope played tremendous defense to force an errant pass during a dangerous surge by the visitors in the 46th minute.
 
Moments later, the offense added one final tally. In the 48th minute, Asuncion gained possession and pushed the tempo. Eventually, the reigning All-American found a seam and sliced a pass to Evans, who smashed a shot right though the goalie's wickets to cap off her historic debut.
 
With little left to prove, the defense closed out the festivities. As time ticked away, Sabbagh broke up a pair of passes near midfield, while Via added an interception of her own. Later, Abendschoen disrupted a rally along the right sideline and tied up another attacker during a separate push along the defensive 25.
 
Entering the final few seconds, Bridgewater managed to earn a corner, but Christopher Newport polished off the shutout. On the play, Asuncion served as the flyer and applied early pressure, while Pope raced over and confronted the shooter. Although the Eagle managed to take a shot, Thompson and Kerr stayed deep to brush aside the attempt and close out the victory.
 
Overall, Christopher Newport held a 36-1 advantage in shots and a 16-1 lead in corners.
 
The Captains will return to action on Sunday when the squad travels to Franklin & Marshall for an 11 a.m. contest.
 
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