NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Piecing together 30 minutes of perfection, the Christopher Newport women's lacrosse team was nearly flawless in the second half as the Captains flipped a one-goal halftime deficit into a 16-7 triumph over Denison on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon at Jennings Family Stadium.

During the last two quarters, Christopher Newport slapped 10 goals on the board while holding the opposition scoreless. The 10-0 advantage over the final 30 minutes equaled the most lopsided second half by the Captains in a decade, matching the squad's performance during a similar victory over N.C. Wesleyan on April 3, 2013.

Leading the charge, Julia Iapicca deposited four goals, while Hope Hunter and Brookelyn Morrison added three apiece. Kelsey Winters also collected five points, including three assists. With that performance, she climbed to sixth on the program's all-time scoring list with her 241st career point, moving past former All-American Sarah Culver.

Taking advantage of five cards on the Big Red, Christopher Newport landed five man-up tallies, equaling the school record set against Adrian on February 26, 2011. Hunter posted two of those strikes, becoming just the 10th player in program history to convert a pair in a single game.

On the defensive side, Hadley Chadwick notched six saves, including five on free-position attempts. Maddie Rusinko also added four takeaways, while the Captains finished with 17 total caused turnovers.

With the victory, Christopher Newport improved to 3-5 on the season, while the setback dropped Denison to 2-7.

Staring at a 7-6 deficit at the start of the second half, the Captains dug in and immediately began their comeback bid. First, the squad clamped down on the high-powered Big Red attack, which helped lift Denison into the third round of the NCAA Tournament last year.

Kicking things off, Chadwick made an early save before intercepting a bouncer that creeped towards the crease. Moments later, Winters used a trail-check to rip possession away from a midfielder before Syd Guidi snatched an errant pass on a clear attempt to keep a lid on the visitors.

Following the defensive stand, the attack went to work. In the 37th minute, Winters pushed up the field along the left post. With a defender in her face, she hit the brakes, cut back, and slammed home the equalizer inside the left pipe.

Less than two minutes later, the senior All-American raced through the zone before handing possession back to Guidi. With one defender left to beat, she danced around her mark before whistling a one-timer from the right side, which gave the hosts an 8-7 advantage.

Looking for some breathing room, Winters came back for more. After circling around the right pipe, she drew a pair of defenders towards her. Putting her precision on full display, she flipped a feed over the wall to Morrison, who ripped one from the inside to gain a two-goal edge.

Meanwhile, the defense continued to do its job. With less than two minutes left in the third quarter, Rusinko clubbed the ball away from an attacker. After Celia Kelaher pounced on the loose ball, the freshman burst up the field in transition.

Capitalizing on the other end, Morrison eventually took the ball and won a 40-yard foot race with four defenders before pounding home her second straight goal from close range.

Leading 10-7, the Captains took full advantage of a momentum-turning play just 30 seconds later. With time winding down in the period, Iapicca sank her second goal of the game while taking a stick to the face, which resulted in a two-minute, non-releasable yellow card. 

With an extra player for the next two minutes, Christopher Newport went right to work. Just before the horn sounded, Iapicca came back with her third tally after securing a feed from Sloane McDonald on the doorstep.

Still holding an advantage at the start of the fourth quarter, the Captains continued to light up the short-handed Big Red. Winters took possession behind the crease, broke the ankles of a defender with a hard cut, and cruised around the right pipe for her second goal. Moments later, after an initial rip by Kendall Krause caught iron, McDonald collected the rebound and cleaned up the trash along the right post.

Incredibly, after scoring three goals during a man-up situation, the hosts were immediately hit with a card of their own. Shrugging off the situation, the downers came through with a stop as Iapicca immediately picked off a wayward pass by Denison before bolting up the field on a successful clear.

Later, Chadwick brushed aside another free-position attempt before Kelaher added two takeaways, including a nice play that saw her deflect a pass after Madi Rozgonyi stonewalled a run at the top of the zone.

With little left to prove, Hunter and Iapicca added a pair of darts in the final four minutes to help lock up the 16-7 triumph.

Overall, Christopher Newport held a 39-19 advantage in shots and a 22-15 lead in ground balls. The Captains also controlled 17 of the game's 26 draws. Iapicca secured seven draw controls for the squad, while Morrison came through with six.

Before the late-game heroics, the two teams looked evenly matched in the early going. In the first quarter, the squads traded blows. Iapicca opened the scoring for the Captains before Guidi landed a rocket on the run. Shortly thereafter, Hunter flashed some fancy footwork as she pushed to her right, stopped on a dime, spun around a defender, and scored from the center of the zone.

Unfortunately, Denison continued to have an answer. Holding a one-goal edge at the end of the first period, the visitors opened up a 7-3 advantage following a ruthless assault at the start of the second stanza.

Needing to flip the script, Christopher Newport called for a timeout. Immediately, the stoppage paid dividends. Following the break, Rusinko gobbled up a loose ball and cleared the defensive end. Moments later, Morrison caught a pass in traffic. With a defender in her face, she spun to her right, wiggled free, and snapped off a strike before a second player could close out on the inside.

Back in the game, the Captains continued to strike. Lindsay Connell split two defenders on a run up the right side before peppering a shot just inside the post. Later, after Chadwick stoned a pair of eight-meter shots, Hunter unleashed a high-to-low hammer on her own free-position attempt to pull the squad back within one entering halftime.

Following the intermission, Christopher Newport kept the momentum and pieced together one of the finest stretches of the season to walk away with the victory.

The Captains will be back in action on Wednesday when the team hosts Lynchburg at 5 p.m.

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