SALEM, Va. -- Posting the squad's second victory in less than 24 hours, the 7th-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team improved to 10-0 on the season after wrapping up a busy week with a 6-0 triumph over Roanoke during a non-conference tussle on Sunday afternoon at Kerr Stadium.

Headlining the potent offense, Abby Asuncion and Delaney Norr both recorded a pair of goals, while Emily Evans added three points of her own. Katie Abendschoen also found the back of the cage to help balance out a well-rounded attack.

With her work against the Maroons, Asuncion continued rewriting the history books. After depositing the game's opening goal, she registered her 13th career game-winning tally. That equaled the program record, which was originally set by Christopher Newport Hall of Famer Caitlin Cahill from 2009-12.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the field, the Captains never let Roanoke find a rhythm. CNU held the Maroons to only one shot, which Lily Kerr kicked aside in the opening period.

Showing no signs of fatigue while playing in their third game of the week, the Captains pieced together Sunday's stellar performance just 19 hours after knocking off No. 11 Kean on Saturday evening in Winchester, Virginia. That marked the shortest span between games for CNU since the 2015 squad notched two victories in an 18-hour stretch from September 25-26.

Overall, Christopher Newport improved to 10-0 for just the second time in school history. It stands as the best start to a season since the 2013 squad ripped off 19 straight wins on the way to an appearance in the NCAA Final Four.

On the other side of the field, the setback dropped the Maroons to 3-4 on the season.

In the opening period, CNU quickly tested Roanoke's back line. Just moments into regulation, Asuncion secured a corner, but the squad's ensuing shot was turned away on the interior. Later, Chloe Thompson kept the pressure on with an interception along the right sideline before Maddison Steele roped a rocket that just scooted past the left pipe. Shortly thereafter, Courtney Hughlett wrestled possession away from a midfielder and jump-started a two-on-one break that saw her sister and Delaney Norr bolt up the field. Unfortunately, Caroline Hughlett's last-second feed just rolled wide.

Although Roanoke held up against the early onslaught, the Captains finally broke through in the seventh minute. Once again, the Hughlett twins teamed up as Courtney wiggled inside and found Caroline, who was draped by a defender. With her back towards the cage, she flipped a no-look seed towards Asuncion, who redirected the ball through the keeper for the game's opening tally. 

After securing a lead, Christopher Newport handled several counterpunches by the opposition. Brooke Billhimer was well positioned on the inside of the circle to box out a pair of attackers and steal an insert. Later, she broke up another feed on the left side of the arc before Abendschoen snatched one near the 25.

Continuing to test the Captains, Roanoke orchestrated its best scoring opportunity of the opening period with three minutes left in the quarter. A pair of attackers leaked free deep inside the circle. Outnumbered, Kerr hit the turf to wall off the cage before Billhimer came racing inside to clean up the trash.

Looking to respond, Billhimer hammered a spinner up the field to Norr, who pieced together one of the finest runs of the season. Nearly 60 yards from the cage, she secured possession and blew past three midfielders before barreling up the right sideline. On a one-person fast break, she dipped underneath two more Maroons before cutting into the circle. Drawing the goalie away from the cage, she eventually handed control over to Lindsey Loar, who had a pointblank rip turned away by a diving defender along the left post.

Still holding a 1-0 advantage at the start of the second quarter, Christopher Newport quickly gained some breathing room. Kicking off the period in style, Abendschoen grabbed control near midfield. Marching forward, she deked the defense with a fake at the top of the circle, which created a little space. Pushing inside, she eventually lofted a rainbow that cleared the goalie and two defenders before dropping into the cage for the team's second strike.

Meanwhile, on the back side, Billhimer knocked down a high hopper into the circle, while Avi McWhorter and Lainey Pratzner broke up clears near midfield. Evans and Loar also won duels on the sidelines to silence Roanoke in the middle of the second stanza.

Still trying to maneuver down the field later in the period, the Maroons had little luck slipping free. Along the left boundary, Ellie Nuckols stole possession from two different midfielders before McWhorter added an out-stretched snag on an errant pass. Changing course, Roanoke attempted to storm up the right sideline but ran into another blockade.

Throwing a blanket over the turf, Caroline Hughlett bottled up a rally near the 25 before McWhorter came sprinting across the field and knocked down a dangerous feed that bounced high into the circle.

Following the defensive stand, Christopher Newport stretched its advantage in the final seconds of the first half. After clearing the ball up the turf, Loar split three defenders in the right corner while drawing attention away from Courtney Hughlett. With some room to work, Hughlett grabbed a pass and pulled the goalie away from the cage. Putting her vision on display, she quickly dished the ball over to Evans, who hammered a blast through a Maroon along the left post to nail down a 3-0 edge entering halftime.

After the break, Christopher Newport continued to suffocate the opposition all over the field. Defending sideline to sideline, McWhorter punched a pass away along the left boundary, Courtney Hughlett snatched one in the center of the turf, and Abendschoen stole one on the right side.

Meanwhile, the attack never lost its rhythm while toying with Roanoke's back line. Chipping away, Abendschoen had a pair of ropes skip past the right post, while Steele had on-target darts kicked aside by the goalie and a defender. Later, after Kendall Gibson kept the pressure on with an interception along the offensive 25, Evans had a crosser bounce past two sticks on the inside.

Staying on the attack, McWhorter won possession from two midfielders with a slick tackle while pinned to the left sideline. After taking control, she capitalized on a screen by Joelie Erwin, which created a seam in the defense and allowed Norr to grab a clean pass near the arc.

Doing the rest by herself, Norr burned past her closest defender, circled underneath a second Maroon, and lined a missile that deflected through the keeper for her first goal of the contest.

Holding a 4-0 edge entering the final period, Christopher Newport eased into the victory. First, the Captains slapped two more goals on the board.

In the 49th minute, Loar connected with Asuncion, who was stationed along the end line. With a defender in front of her, she put the Maroon on skates with a quick cut to her left before scooting towards the cage. After gaining some freedom, she pulled back to her right and deposited a dagger on the doorstep for her second tally of the afternoon.

Just over three minutes later, Thompson clamped down on a Roanoke surge after winning a fight with a forward along the arc. With possession, she sailed the ball up the field to Evans, who quickly redirected the feed through three defenders to Norr. Taking control on a dead sprint, she found herself isolated with the keeper. Capitalizing on the situation, she slammed a shot inside the right post for the final goal of the game.

Holding a comfortable advantage in the waning moments of regulation, Christopher Newport set its sights on the shutout. Norr and McWhorter walled off runs along the left sideline, Alexis Morales won a battle with a pair of midfielders, and Abendschoen cleaned up a loose ball that slipped deep down the field to wrap up the victory.

Overall, CNU held a 34-1 advantage in shots and a 6-0 lead in corners. Along with Kerr's work in the first three quarters, Ella Fallen played the final 15 minutes in the cage and helped the visitors collect their fifth shutout of the year.

The Captains will return to action on October 8 when the team travels to Fredericksburg, Virginia for a neutral-site tilt against Rhodes beginning at noon.

---ISH---