DANVILLE, Ky. -- Abby Asuncion continued her assault on the history books, while Caroline Hughlett drove home a pair of second-half goals to headline a lethal offensive attack as the sixth-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team ran past Centre, 6-0, on Sunday morning at the South Campus Field.

Landing the first goal of the contest, Asuncion deposited her 14th career game-winning tally. That broke the program record set by Christopher Newport Hall of Famer Caitlin Cahill during her decorated tenure from 2009-12. Incredibly, that marked the third significant record set by Asuncion this season after she previously broke the school's all-time marks for total goals and points.

While Asuncion was penning another chapter to her record-setting legacy, Hughlett was adding to her remarkable debut campaign with the first multi-goal effort of her career. Overall, her 21 points this season are tied for the fourth-most by a first-year competitor in program history. Incidentally, she is tied with current teammate Lindsey Loar, who added her 21st point after assisting on Hughlett's final strike in the fourth quarter.

Among the squad's other offensive standouts, Katie Abendschoen converted her second stroke of the season, while Maddison Steele and Alexis Morales also snapped off darts to round out the scorers. Steele's blast also marked her 50th career point, making her just the 18th Captain to reach that benchmark.

On the defensive end, the Colonels mustered only four shots during the game. Lily Kerr brushed aside both of Centre's on-target rips, while Brooke Billhimer and Chloe Thompson deflected the other two attempts.

With the win, Christopher Newport improved to 15-0 on the season, while the setback dropped Centre to 7-8.

In the opening period, the Captains controlled the contest while keeping the ball planted on the offensive end. Building a barricade along the 25, Courtney Hughlett picked off a clear near the left sideline, Lainey Pratzner stole one on the opposite end, and Abendschoen ripped a pass away in the center of the turf to keep the Colonels on their heels.

Trying to capitalize on the extra possessions, the attack peppered Centre's back line. Asuncion had two shots spin past the cage, while Steele and Delaney Norr had a pair of attempts punted by the keeper. Moments later, after CNU secured a corner, Abendschoen and Courtney Hughlett blasted the goalie, but the Colonels came away unscathed.

Still trying to clear the zone, the hosts had a pass picked off by Kendall Gibson along the left sideline before Morales snatched one at midfield. Unable to work the ball up the turf, Centre went with an aerial attack, but Abendschoen quickly knocked down the floater and spun it back to the Captains.

Finally, with four minutes left in the period, the Colonels managed to slip across midfield and possess the ball on the offensive end for the first time during the game. However, their pressure was short lived as Billhimer stole a roller along the arc and shipped it to Courtney Hughlett, who cleared it up the sideline to cap off a scoreless first quarter.

Looking to break the seal in the second stanza, Christopher Newport jumped on Centre in the first minute. After an early push up the left sideline was halted by the hosts, Courtney Hughlett changed course and sliced a pass across the field to her sister. On the receiving end, Caroline Hughlett punched it inside to Asuncion. Stationed near the right post, she pulled around the keeper and pounded one inside the pipe for the game's opening tally.

Attempting to respond, Centre orchestrated its deepest run of the game in the 19th minute. Billhimer deflected an initial shot before the Colonels earned a corner. Pushing back on the play, Asuncion applied immediate pressure at the top of the arc before Morales delayed a run from the left side. After Thompson blocked an attempt on the interior, Kerr kicked away a second-chance opportunity to kill off the threat.

Following the defensive stand, the Captains went back to work on the other end after securing their own corner in the 24th minute. Morales smoked a rocket into the body of the keeper before Asuncion grabbed the rebound and shoveled it towards the right post. With the back line scrambling, Loar pumped the ball into a defender, which earned a penalty stroke.

Taking advantage of the situation, Abendschoen stepped up to the dot and whistled a one-timer past the keeper for a 2-0 lead entering the break.

In the second half, the Colonels stamped out an early rush by the visitors before countering with an onslaught of their own. In the 34th minute, Centre slipped free on a 3-on-2 breakaway. Staying deep, Billhimer and Gibson remained calm and slowed the rally before Asuncion raced back to even the numbers and quiet the hosts.

Still pushing forward, the Colonels had another surge just moments later, but Gibson added the defensive play of the game. After two attackers swiped possession away from Christopher Newport near midfield, one burst free on a sprint towards the cage. Catching up to the streaker, Gibson stuck to the hip of the Colonel, ripped the ball away in the center of the circle, and motored into the right corner to kill time until reinforcements arrived to clear the zone.

Later, after CNU handed the ball back to the attack, the Captains never let the opposition gain momentum. Pratzner and Ellie Nuckols picked off rollers near the offensive 25, Asuncion put a lid on a clear at midfield, and Thompson poked a pass away along the arc. Then, with only seconds left in the period, the visitors pieced together a rapid-fire assault.

Morales lifted the ball to herself and dribbled through a host of midfielders before getting fouled. Off the restart, Asuncion came barreling up the turf and hammered a high-hopper into the circle. Although the Colonels staved off the initial rush, Nuckols intercepted the clear along the arc and slipped it back inside to Caroline Hughlett.

Flanked by defenders with little room to work, the first-year sensation simply turned and chipped a reverse inside the left post for a 3-0 edge.

Keeping the momentum in the final frame, Christopher Newport quickly stretched its lead. After Centre was hit with a card, Abendschoen spun a screamer towards the cage. Catching the pass, Steele fired a rocket that was kicked away by the keeper. Sticking with the play, Morales recovered the rebound and rifled from point-blank range to grab a four-goal advantage.

On the other end, the Captains never let the Colonels back into the game. On a deep push by the hosts, Abendschoen cut off a run and forced an attacker to the end line. Although the opposition was eventually able to put a shot on cage, Kerr kicked away the lengthy rope before Billhimer muscled it out of the circle.

Later, on a subsequent surge, Morales grabbed control in the right corner and shipped the ball to Sierra Pratzner, who escorted it up the sideline on a successful clear. After the Colonels returned to the zone, Avi McWhorter won a race for a dangerous bouncer near the left sideline, Joelie Erwin spoiled a rally along the arc, and Thompson dipped low to stone a spinner on the interior.

With little left to prove, Christopher Newport cleared the defensive end before landing two final blows on the other side. In the 57th minute, Loar settled a long hit into the circle. Surrounded by three defenders, she shuffled a pass over to Caroline Hughlett. With one defender left to beat, the freshman circled to her right and smashed one past the keeper for her second goal.

Then, in the final minute, Erwin applied pressure in the left corner and forced an errant pass by the Colonels, which gave possession back to the Captains. With seconds left on the clock, Abendschoen blistered a long ball into the circle. Taking advantage, Steele stole the pass from a defender, pulled to her right, and tattooed the back of the cage for the final exclamation point.

Overall, Christopher Newport held a 45-4 edge in shots and a 9-1 lead in corners. Meanwhile, Kerr and Ella Fallen teamed up for the squad's ninth shutout of the year.

CNU will return to action on October 28 when the team travels to Mary Washington for the regular season finale at 1 p.m.

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