SALEM, Va. -- Delaney Norr matched her career-high with five points, while Lily Kerr came through with a magical performance in the third quarter as the fifth-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team took down Rhodes, 4-0, during a neutral-site battle on a gorgeous Monday morning at Roanoke College's Kerr Stadium.
 
During the contest, Norr anchored the attack while playing a role in three of CNU's four tallies. The senior star had a goal and assist in the opening frame before adding the final strike in the fourth quarter. That five-point outburst equaled her career-high, tying an identical eruption against Ohio Wesleyan on September 20.
 
Along with Norr, Riley Iasiello and Courtney Hughlett also found the back of the cage. With her third-quarter blast, Hughlett registered a point in her sixth consecutive contest. That matches the ninth-longest scoring streak in program history and the finest run by a Captain since former legend Lauren Cheatham had an 11-game run to begin the 2013 campaign.
 
On the other end of the field, Lily Kerr pieced together one of the finest individual efforts in program history. During the third quarter, the junior All-American registered nine saves, including six during a minute-long onslaught in the middle of the period. Her nine stops marked the highest total by a Captain in a single quarter in program history. Previously, she had a pair of six-save stanzas in 2023, while Olivia Davis also had half-a-dozen stops in the third frame against No. 9 Rochester on September 1, 2019.
 
Brooke Billhimer also made some history on Monday. Playing every second against the Lynx, she extended her "Iron Man" streak to 1,148 consecutive minutes of work dating back to last year. That stands as the fourth-longest run in program history and the top stretch since former All-American Brittan Muir set the school record with 2,620 minutes of nonstop action from 2016-18.
 
With the victory, Christopher Newport improved to 11-1 on the season, while the setback dropped Rhodes to 9-5 and snapped the program's five-game winning streak.
 
Serving as the aggressor in the early going, the Captains set the tone with a relentless attack in the opening period on Monday. Although Rhodes held up against the initial assault and brushed aside CNU's first five shots, Norr took over in the middle of the period.
 
In the ninth minute, the Lynx attempted to flip the field while working the ball towards the left sideline. Staying deep, a defender tried to dribble through the circle, but Norr contested the play during a one-on-one duel. Bursting into the zone, she caught the defender from behind, ripped the ball off her stick, and whistled a one-timer inside the left pipe to give the Captains an early 1-0 lead.
 
Just two minutes later, Christopher Newport came back for more. Marching forward, Hughlett took possession near the 50 before connecting with Iasiello, who rolled between two defenders and stormed into the circle. With little room to work, she fed the ball out wide to Norr, who settled in the left corner.
 
Although Rhodes prevented Norr from generating a clean look, the senior flipped the ball back inside to Iasiello, who quickly capitalized on the give-and-go for her third goal of the year.
 
Meanwhile, on the back side, CNU was equally impressive. On an early push by Rhodes, Katie Abendschoen bottled up the play at the top of the arc, while Lainey Pratzner wrestled possession away from a midfielder along the right sideline. Shortly thereafter, Avery Mast intercepted a dangerous pass towards the center of the zone before coming back with a second tackle in the waning moments of the period to stifle Rhodes' last surge.
 
In the second period, the Captains tried to extend their lead with an early ambush. Norr chipped a feed inside to Julia Oleyar, who battled on the interior and drew a corner. Later, Norr came back with a sprint straight up the gut, while Iasiello unleashed an absolute blast from long range, but the Lynx held firm and kept their deficit at two.
 
On the other end, Rhodes countered with a few rallies of their own. With a 3-on-1 developing near midfield, Billhimer stayed back and won possession of a roller that nearly led to a breakaway. Shortly thereafter, the Lynx had another odd-man rush, but Abendschoen swiped the ball near the edge of the arc to stamp out that surge.
 
Although Rhodes continued to pressure, Ellie Nuckols helped clear the defensive side with a physical run up the right sideline. The sophomore bullied her way through two defenders and cut around a third player before handing the ball back to the attack, which helped cap off the first half.
 
Following the break, Christopher Newport stretched its lead to three in the 34th minute. Isolated with a defender at the top of the zone, Caroline Hughlett cut to her right and wiggled free. Pushing inside, she eventually lined a rocket towards the cage. Fittingly, her twin sister was on the other side as Courtney collected the ricochet and jammed home a second-chance opportunity on the doorstep.
 
Staring at a 3-0 hole, Rhodes tried to retaliate, but Kerr built a wall between the pipes. On an early corner, she made a leaping stop to her left before spinning back the other way to cut off a rebound along the opposite post. Then, on the Lynx' next rally, she hit the deck, laid out on the turf, and batted away three straight shots.
 
Unfazed by the pressure, Kerr added another diving save in the 37th minute before Billhimer grabbed the roller and dribbled it out of the circle.
 
Attempting to regroup, Rhodes retreated and tried to settle the ball near midfield, but Emily Evans cut between a pair of players, disrupted the play, and forced an errant pass, which gave CNU's defense a little breather. Later, Gigi Stephan worked the ball down the left sideline and had a look along the post, but her run was cut off by a defender.
 
Near the end of the period, Rhodes picked up two more corners, but the Captains refused to break. On the first try, Courtney Hughlett served as the flyer and stole a pass at the top of the arc before a shot could be taken. On the next attempt, Nuckols blocked a bullet in the center of the zone before Kerr added a fitting punctuation mark.
 
In the final moments of the period, the Lynx slipped loose on a 2-on-1 break. Coming up clutch one more time, Kerr made a sprawling save to cut off the left post while keeping the shutout intact.
 
Following the marvelous defensive performance in the third period, the attack went back to work in the fourth. Early on, Norr had a turnaround tracer kicked away by the keeper, while Billhimer had a dangerous deflection punched out of the air at the last moment. Seconds later, Maddison Steele circled underneath the defense on a run towards the left post, but her shot was stoned as well.
 
Although the Captains were stymied in the early going, the squad never relented. In the 50th minute, CNU put its speed on display. Steele took control near midfield before outrunning three defenders on a sprint towards the circle. At the same time, on the left side of the field, Norr barreled past a fourth player before settling behind the goalie.
 
Capping off the fast-break, Steele shoveled a pinpoint pass to Norr, who dipped low and redirected the ball into the back of the cage for her second strike of the contest.
 
With little left to prove, the Captains set their sights on the shutout. Mast stuck to an attacker during a 20-yard sprint before Pratzner stole possession along the arc. Later, Morgan Shealer helped seal off the left sideline, while Kendall Gibson cut off a sprint in the right corner. Shortly thereafter, Mast picked off an aerial before Billhimer intercepted a crosser on the doorstep to seal the 4-0 victory.
 
Overall, Christopher Newport held a 26-12 advantage in shots, while both teams earned six corners.
 
CNU will return to action on Thursday when the Captains travel to St. Mary's (Md.) for a 4 p.m. showdown.
 
---ISH---