NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Facing its first top-20 test of the year, the 15th-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team came away with a huge early-season victory as the Captains knocked off No. 19 Franklin & Marshall, 2-1, during a heated non-conference battle on a sweltering Sunday afternoon.

Against the Diplomats, Caroline Hughlett scored the game-winning goal with just over 10 minutes left in regulation to cap off the thrilling victory. With that strike, she became just the seventh freshman in program history to register the clinching goal in a battle against a top-25 foe. In that exclusive club, she joined current teammates Maddison Steele and Abby Asuncion as well as former legends Courtney Fiest, Brittan Muir, Madison Doss, and Kylie Cale.

Fittingly, Asuncion set up the game-winning tally and finished the contest with a pair of assists. With that performance, the reigning All-American moved into a tie with Haylie Black for third on the program's career points list with 94. Her 18 helpers also rank seventh on the school's all-time charts.

Along with the history-makers, Alexis Morales continued her torrid start to the season. After assisting on all three goals against Swarthmore on Friday, she landed the opening tally during Sunday's contest.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the field, Christopher Newport kept a lid on Franklin & Marshall's electric attack. During a 60-minute masterpiece, the Captains limited the Diplomats to only six shots, which equaled the second-fewest by a nationally-ranked foe in program history. Only No. 13 Juniata mustered fewer attempts as the Eagles were limited to just five shots on October 28, 2006.

Among the standouts on the back end, Kendall Gibson blocked a tracer on a penalty corner attempt and wiped away several dangerous rallies throughout the contest. Brooke Billhimer and Courtney Hughlett also deflected shots during the second quarter, while Lily Kerr added a pair of saves during her time between the pipes.

With the victory, Christopher Newport improved to 2-0 on the season, while the setback dropped Franklin & Marshall to 0-2.

Early in the opening quarter, the two teams traded rallies. First, the Captains unloaded four quick shots, including on-target rockets by Asuncion and Morales. Moments later, the Diplomats had their first sustained surge, but Courtney Hughlett bottled up a run near the top of the arc, Katie Abendschoen broke up a fast-break opportunity, and Kerr made a sensational stop with her pad on an elevated rip in the middle of the period.

Still scoreless, CNU secured a pair of corners at the tail end of the period, but back-to-back blasts by Abendschoen were punched away by the keeper. Then, in the final seconds, Emily Evans settled a bouncing ball on the left side of the circle, but her ensuing shot just trickled past the right pipe.

Looking to break the deadlock, the Captains found an opening in the second quarter. During a lengthy offensive stand that lasted nearly three minutes, Christopher Newport earned four penalty corners. Although Franklin & Marshall held up against the early assault, the hosts eventually broke through.

On a corner in the 18th minute, Morales inserted the ball to Asuncion before sliding into an open space along the left pipe. After collecting the pass at the top of the arc, Asuncion broke the ankles of the F&M flyer with a hard cut to her right. With a little room to work, she unloaded a screamer towards the post. Still in a perfect position, Morales capped off the play with a deflection along the pipe to secure a 1-0 edge.

Although the visitors responded with the equalizer just four minutes later, CNU stepped up on the defensive end. In the middle of the period, Billhimer tracked down an attacker, intercepted a pass, and flipped the ball out of the circle. Moments later, Courtney Hughlett flashed her wheels as the freshman speedster came racing in on a corner attempt and closed a gap of nearly 15 yards to block a shot with her out-stretched stick.

Continuing to shine on the back end, Kerr stoned an initial shot off a corner before Billhimer handled the rebound along the left post. Later, Gibson added another deflection on Franklin & Marshall's third corner of the period after Asuncion applied pressure at the top of the circle.

Closing out the first half, Morales added a tackle along the arc after dropping low to prevent a Diplomat from pushing inside from the left corner at the end of the stanza.

After surviving F&M's offensive efforts in the second quarter, Christopher Newport tried to counter in the third period. Marching forward, the Captains tested the back line. Lindsey Loar had an on-target shot turned away by the keeper before Steele and Delaney Norr had back-to-back blasts gobbled up in a similar fashion. 

Later, after Courtney Hughlett intercepted a clear attempt and kept the pressure on the Diplomats, the hosts were awarded a pair of corners, but Asuncion had two lasers blocked by the Franklin & Marshall defense.

Although the visitors were able to withstand the third-quarter onslaught, the Captains never relented and finally broke through again in the 50th minute. Winning a one-on-one battle at the 25, Abendschoen bullied her way through a midfielder and pumped the ball into the circle. In the middle of a crowd, Asuncion redirected it towards the left pipe before Caroline Hughlett slammed home the go-ahead goal despite being flanked by two defenders and the goalie.

Back on top, Christopher Newport handed the game over to its defense. After the team was hit with its third card of the contest, Steele absolutely picked the pockets of an attacker at the edge of the circle with a textbook tackle before clearing the zone during the shorthanded situation.

Later in the period, Gibson bottled up a rally in the right corner before winning a duel with another Diplomat during a separate surge. Asuncion also intercepted a pass near midfield, Morales stole one at the top of the circle, and Gibson came back to pick off a lengthy clear attempt along the sideline.

With time winding down, Lainey Pratzner ripped possession away from a midfielder before Caroline Hughlett wrapped up the festivities after grabbing control near the 50 and dancing past a pair of Diplomats to close out the win.

Overall, Christopher Newport out-shot Franklin & Marshall, 37-6. The Captains also held a commanding 15-3 edge in corners.

CNU will return to action on September 9 when the team hosts Vassar at 12 p.m.

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