BRYN MAWR, Pa. -- Depositing a pair of goals in the first two minutes of action, Maddison Steele gave the Captains an early advantage before the defense took care of the rest as the 9th-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team blanked No. 17 Bryn Mawr, 3-0, on Saturday afternoon at Applebee Field.

Opening the nationally-ranked battle with a bang, Steele struck just 29 seconds into regulation, marking the third-fastest goal to start a game in school history. Then, just over a minute later, she added another blast to secure her second career multi-goal effort.

With her two strikes, Steele became just the 10th Captain to register a multi-goal outing against a nationally-ranked opponent. Placing her name alongside the finest standouts in program history, she joined the exclusive club with Christopher Newport Hall of Famers Caitlin Cahill, Marlene Lichty, Belle Tunstall, and Wendy Wilson as well as former legends Haylie Black, Shelby Judkins, Bailey Miller, Ashley Traylor, and Mauri Ware.

Stepping up against top-flight competition throughout her career, Steele now has three game-winning goals against top-20 foes. Along with her opening strike against the Owls on Saturday, she also deposited the clinching blow in wins against No. 20 Salisbury on October 27, 2021 and No. 13 Shenandoah on October 12, 2022.

Along with Steele's showcase, Alexis Morales landed her third goal of the year, while Caroline Hughlett and Courtney Hughlett both added assists.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the field, Christopher Newport silenced a potent Bryn Mawr attack, which entered the game averaging over three goals per contest. Lily Kerr made four saves while polishing off her ninth career shutout. Additionally, the Captains handled all nine of Bryn Mawr's penalty corner opportunities and surrendered just seven total shots during the contest.

Overall, the three-goal victory equaled the most lopsided triumph on the road against a nationally-ranked opponent in school history. It matched an identical 3-0 win at No. 14 Mary Washington on November 5, 2014 and a similar 4-1 victory at No. 10 Mary Washington on October 30, 2013.

With the triumph, Christopher Newport improved to 7-0 on the season, while the setback dropped Bryn Mawr to 5-2. 

Facing their second top-20 test of the week, the Captains vaulted out to a quick lead. Mere seconds into the contest, Courtney Hughlett fought through contact along the right sideline before slicing a feed into the circle. Pinballing off a defender's stick, the spinner found its way to Steele, who settled the pass, pushed to her left, and blistered a dart into the top corner of the cage for the game's first tally.

Continuing the assault, Katie Abendschoen stole possession shortly after the restart before the attack went back to work. Eventually, the Owls attempted to clear their defensive end, but Abendschoen regained control before shipping the ball to Caroline Hughlett, who was settled in the left corner.

With the defense struggling to catch up, Hughlett sailed a pass into the circle. On the receiving end, Steele screened a defender, dropped low, and redirected the blast past the keeper for her second straight strike.

Staring at a 2-0 deficit, Bryn Mawr tried to steal some momentum but had little success breaking through Christopher Newport's defensive unit. Brooke Billhimer walled off the Owls' first rush before Abendschoen broke up a surge near the top of the circle. Later, Avi McWhorter intercepted a clear along the offensive 25 before Alexis Morales raced back and deflected a bouncer that nearly sprung a breakaway along the left sideline.

Near the end of the opening period, the hosts collected back-to-back corners, but CNU was up to the task. On the first attempt, Ellie Nuckols pressured a pair of attackers at the top of the arc and forced an errant pass to slip through the zone. Later, Abby Asuncion flew out of the cage and stopped a rip before any damage could be done.

After withstanding a lengthy push by the Owls, Christopher Newport attempted to extend its lead. In the final minute of the first quarter, Morales torched a midfielder, pushed inside, and lined a pass that just bounced past the cage. Moments later, she split two defenders with a pinpoint feed that nearly connected with a stick along the right post.

Still fostering a two-goal lead at the start of the second stanza, the Captains continued to test Bryn Mawr's back line. Abendschoen rifled a shot off a corner attempt that was kicked away by the keeper. Shortly thereafter, Steele had a gorgeous run up the right sideline before spinning past two defenders and serving a feed to Caroline Hughlett, who had an attempt turned away by an Owl along the left pipe.

Although Bryn Mawr was able to withstand Christopher Newport's advances in the early part of the second quarter, the hosts could not break through on the other end. Midway through the period, Nuckols jumped a passing lane, brushed off some contact along the arc, and cleaned up a deep run by the Owls. Meanwhile, Lainey Pratzner bullied a defender into an off-kilter pass to prevent a surge up the left sideline before Chloe Thompson stamped out a rally in the right corner.

With the clock winding down in the first half, Emily Evans showed tremendous timing after swiping a ball off the stick of a midfielder just before the Owl was able to clear the defensive end. Then, Delaney Norr split two defenders and stole another feed before Christopher Newport brushed aside back-to-back Bryn Mawr corners to cap off the second stanza.

After the break, the Captains remained vigilant on the back end. On an early rush by the hosts, Thompson ran stride-for-stride with an opponent up the right side of the field. Refusing to give an inch of separation, the senior star forced the Owl to contort her body and try an off-balance shot, which ended with the attacker splayed out on the turf.

Later, after Bryn Mawr secured a corner, Asuncion came bolting out of the cage and chased the ball nearly 25 yards as the opposition failed to generate a shot.

Two minutes later, after handling a pair of corners by CNU, Bryn Mawr pieced together a dangerous counterattack that nearly found an opening. With numbers on their side, a pair of Owls steamed up the turf, but Billhimer stayed deep and rode the ball up the left sideline before Kerr made a save along the pipe. Seconds later, the sophomore goalie added another diving stop to thwart a follow-up attempt.

Looking for a little breathing room, Christopher Newport found exactly what it needed in the 42nd minute. After Norr caught up to a lengthy roller and prevented a defender from clearing the circle, her pressure earned the Captains another penalty corner.

Although Morales' initial shot was kicked away by the keeper, the ball spun into the left corner. Tracking down the deflection, Courtney Hughlett secured the rebound and squeezed a pass back to Morales after finding a sliver of daylight between a host of defenders. With a second opportunity, Morales nuked a one-timer into the bottom left corner for the squad's third goal.

Entering the final period with a 3-0 advantage, Christopher Newport put the game on ice with another suffocating stanza on the defensive end. Early on, Bryn Mawr generated a corner attempt, but Asuncion blocked the shot at the top of the circle before Morales escorted the ball out of the zone.

Later, the Owls nearly connected on a cross, but Nuckols prevented an attempt along the left post. Shortly thereafter, Thompson put on a clinic. She lofted an aerial over the defense, had a tackle along the 25, and made a lunging play that forced a bad pass to slip out of bounds in the right corner.

With little left to prove, Christopher Newport polished off the contest by brushing aside Bryn Mawr's final two corners. Morales stoned a rocket on the first attempt before pressure by Asuncion caused a shot to spin wide on the second try.

Overall, CNU held a 10-7 lead in shots, while the Owls had a 9-6 edge in corners.

The Captains will return to action on Monday when they host Virginia Wesleyan at 6 p.m.

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