NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Continuing to showcase one of the nation's most well-balanced attacks, the 16th-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team orchestrated another historic outburst while rolling past Concordia (Wisc.), 9-1, on a steamy Sunday morning at Jennings Family Stadium.

Headlining the attack, Emily Evans erupted for the 30th hat-trick in program history. With that performance, she also became just the fifth true freshman to register at least three goals in a single game, joining current teammate Abby Asuncion as well as Brittney Touchard, Lauren Cheatham, and Ashley Hay.

Along with Evans, Emma Logue also entered rarified air. The senior star posted three points during the victory. Coupled with her efforts against Virginia Wesleyan and Haverford earlier this week, she became just the fourth Captain to record at least one goal and one assist in three straight contests, placing her name alongside Christopher Newport Hall of Famer Belle Tunstall and former legends Haylie Black and Ashley Traylor.

In addition to the historic efforts, Delaney Norr also collected three points for the Captains, while Katie Abendschoen, Alexis Morales, Maddison Steele, and Marcella Sabbagh added daggers of their own.

Overall, the nine goals equaled the eighth-highest single-game total in program history and tied the most by the squad since Christopher Newport exploded for 10 against Ferrum on September 6, 2015.

Meanwhile, Sunday's eruption was the team's third straight game with at least seven goals, marking the longest run by the Captains since 2006.

With the victory, Christopher Newport improves to 4-1 on the season, while the setback drops Concordia (Wisc.) to 2-2.

Less than 90 seconds into regulation, the Captains lit up the scoreboard. After Morales punched a pass to Logue, the senior shuffled the ball through a host of defenders. Eventually, it bounced over to Evans, who opened the scoring with a deflection along the left post.

With an early advantage, Christopher Newport quickly stretched the lead with two more strikes in the opening stanza. In the seventh minute, Concordia's goalie kicked away an initial attempt, but Abendschoen was there to secure the rebound. Although there was substantial traffic in front of the cage, Lainey Pratzner helped tie up the keeper and opened a shooting lane for Abendschoen, who capitalized with a dagger for a 2-0 edge.

Later, with time winding down in the opening period, Steele put on a one-person show. After collecting a feed from Norr, the sophomore star did the rest by herself. Surrounded by four defenders on the interior, she cleared two with a cut to her left before splitting back to her right, which shook the last pair of Falcons. Although a fifth defender attempted to hustle over, she avoided the pressure and unloaded a rocket past the keeper for her fifth goal of the year.

In the second stanza, Christopher Newport put its defense on display. During the middle of the period, Concordia pieced together its longest rally of the game. Early on, a Falcon slipped free on a breakaway, but Lily Kerr came bolting out of the cage and made a sliding save to prevent any damage.

Moments after Kerr's heads-up play, the visitors earned a corner in the 23rd minute. Brushing aside the attempt, Vivian Pope served as the flyer and made a sprawling stop to deflect the initial rip. After the ball trickled towards the cage, Chloe Thompson ripped possession away along the end line to help end the surge.

Later in the quarter, the Captains continued to excel on the back end. With five minutes remaining in the first half, Sabbagh raced back and intercepted a long feed up the right side of the turf. Shortly thereafter, Concordia broke up an offensive corner by Christopher Newport and appeared destined to flip the possession into another breakaway attempt, but Pratzner cruised back and punched the ball away along the left sideline to disrupt the surge.

Finally, in the waning moments of the period, the Falcons had a lopsided advantage during another rush, but Sabbagh bodied up an attacker and dropped her to the turf before Brooke Billhimer grabbed the ball and put a punctuation mark on Concordia's final rally of the first half.

In the third stanza, the Captains went back to work on the offensive side. Early in the period, Asuncion shuffled a pass inside to Evans, who faced a wall of defenders. After controlling the roller, she dipped low and unleashed a backhand blast around the blockade for her second strike of the game. 

Less than two minutes later, the freshman phenom came back for more. This time, Thompson applied pressure on the right side of the zone before slipping a pass to Evans, who quickly hammered home her third dagger to snatch a 5-0 edge.

Although Concordia broke through in the 36th minute, Christopher Newport wasted little time orchestrating a response. Just over a minute later, Morales threaded the needle on a long pass to Norr, who burst free up the right side and drew the keeper out of the cage. With no other option, the goalie eventually dropped Norr to the ground and handed the hosts a penalty stroke.

Taking the free shot, Sabbagh smashed a missile inside the right pipe for a 6-1 lead.

Keeping the assault going in the 41st minute, Pratzner continued to do the dirty work along the end line. Taking on a defender and the goalie, she secured a pass and whipped the ball off the leg of the field player, which generated another penalty stroke. This time, Morales stepped to the dot and slammed a one-timer inside the left pipe for her first collegiate goal.

Holding a 7-1 edge, Christopher Newport put together another defensive gem on the other end of the field. With four minutes remaining in the period, Brie Mallozzi won a battle with two Falcons to secure possession near midfield. Later, after a turnover, Joelie Erwin won a sprint to regain control along the left sideline while breaking up a rally before it even started.

Although the visitors continued to test the Captains, Gwendolyn Via picked off a pass near the arc with two minutes left in the third before Billhimer won a footrace with a streaking attacker to secure a dangerous long hit that crept into the circle.

Following the defensive stand, the attack polished off the quarter with one final tally. On a corner attempt, Asuncion hammered a shot that scooted by the keeper but was turned away at the last second by a defender. Fortunately, Logue scampered in from the end line, grabbed the ricochet, and quickly deposited her fifth goal of the year.

Entering the final 15 minutes, the Captains eased into the victory. The defense did not allow a single shot during the final period, while Norr added one last highlight on the offensive end. In the 47th minute, the junior unleashed a wicked backhand that was turned away by a kick save on the doorstep. After gathering her own rebound, she pulled back to her right and smacked a forehand into the cage for the game's last goal.

Overall, Christopher Newport held a 48-4 advantage in shots and a 12-3 lead in penalty corners. Gabi Gray earned the victory for her work between the pipes, while Kerr added 30 pristine minutes of her own.

The Captains will return to action on September 17 when the team welcomes Bryn Mawr to town for an 11 a.m. test.

---ISH---