POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. -- New York native Riley Iasiello opened the scoring with a dart in the first quarter before Avery Mast capped off the festivities in the fourth frame as the fifth-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team upended Vassar, 2-1, on Saturday afternoon at Weinberg Turf Field.

Making a triumphant return to the Empire State, Iasiello put on a show for her home crowd after lighting up the scoreboard with her first goal of the season in the second minute. With that strike, she also became the second out-of-state Captain to score a goal on her home turf in program history. Incredibly, in that exclusive club, she joined Mast, who accomplished the feat twice earlier this month in Pennsylvania.

Meanwhile, Mast punctuated the victory with the clinching blow in the 50th minute. Through just seven appearances, the freshman already has three game-winning goals after previously dispatching No. 18 Franklin & Marshall and Haverford. That total equals the fifth-most by a first-year player in program history, trailing only All-American legend Abby Asuncion (7), current teammate Caroline Hughlett (4), and former standouts Anne Gehring (4) and Samantha Howard (4).

Mast and Asuncion are also the only Captains who posted at least three game-winning goals on the road during their debut campaigns.

Also making history on Saturday, Katie Abendschoen and Brooke Billhimer both started their 63rd consecutive contest. That equaled current assistant coach and CNU Hall of Famer Marlene Lichty for the second-longest "Iron Man" streak in program history.

With the victory, Christopher Newport improved to 7-0 on the season, while the setback dropped Vassar to 2-7. Dating back to last season, the Captains have now won nine consecutive road games, which matches the longest run in program history. CNU also captured nine straight from October 23, 2016 through September 9, 2018.

Striking early, Delaney Norr pushed into the circle along the left side of the arc and drew a foul, which earned a corner attempt in the second minute. Although an initial rip by Kendall Gibson was blocked by a defender, Courtney Hughlett quickly corralled the rebound.

After gaining possession, the second-year star scooted to her right and threaded a needle past three defenders along the doorstep. On the other end, Iasiello collected the feed and blasted the back of the cage for a fast 1-0 advantage.

Fighting back, Vassar flipped the script in the seventh minute. Facing an onslaught, Christopher Newport's back line held up against the initial assault. On an early corner attempt, Lily Kerr made a kick save on the interior before Ellie Nuckols stoned a second-chance opportunity with a block at the top of the arc. Shortly thereafter, Kerr added another stop before Gibson wiped away a missile before it split the pipes during a scrum on the interior for her second defensive save of the season.

Unfortunately, the Brewers eventually earned another corner and converted to knot the score at one.

With some momentum, Vassar tried to capitalize, but Morgan Shealer walled off a pair of runs up the left sideline. After the second interception, Mast cruised into the circle, spun around a defender, and secured the first of three straight corners. Sadly, the defense held up after brushing aside four on-target rips to keep the game knotted at one after 15 minutes of action.

After surviving a late scare by the Captains, the hosts went back on the attack in the second stanza but found little success. During a one-on-one breakaway, Billhimer dipped low and sacrificed her body during a physical confrontation to stymie an early threat. Later, Nuckols won a battle with two midfielders while pinned to the right sideline to quiet another push in the middle of the period.

Looking to counter, Abendschoen ripped the ball off the stick of a midfielder and dusted her opponent with a devastating cut, which left the Brewer sprawled out on the turf. With some room to work, she scurried into the circle and unloaded a tracer from the interior, but the ball was deflected at the last minute by a Vassar defender.

Later in the quarter, the hosts had several long rallies snuffed out by the Captains. Lainey Pratzner won a race for a dangerous crosser that leaked through the circle in the 28th minute. Moments later, Billhimer escorted a long hit out the right side of the zone before Kerr made a sliding save on a hot shot in the final seconds to keep the game deadlocked at one entering the break.

In the third frame, Christopher Newport kept the pressure on Vassar's defensive unit. Pratzner put on a clinic in the early moments after circling through a pair of defenders along the left sideline before finding Abendschoen, who sent a spinner into the circle. Shortly thereafter, Courtney Hughlett won control of an aerial and sent a pass to Steele, who had a rush bottled up at the top of the arc. 

Still setting the tempo, Gibson stole a pass along the right sideline and laced a ball to Iasiello, who had a bullet kicked away by the keeper. Pratzner and Caroline Hughlett also had lengthy feeds skip through the circle, while Steele motored into the zone and had a reverse chip just miss the right post.

Attempting to respond on the other end, a Brewer tried to push inside the arc along the left side of the zone, but Billhimer cut off the run along the end line. Then, with two attackers deep, Vassar sent a 50-yard feed into the circle. Remaining calm, Shealer gained control on the interior and kept possession before reinforcements arrived to kill the threat.

Still on even ground entering the final 15 minutes, Christopher Newport kept the ball planted on the offensive end. The visitors generated three corners in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter. Although their initial surge was handled by the Brewers, the Captains continued to march forward.

In the 50th minute, Gibson had a free hit from the right sideline. The sophomore star fired a rope to Steele, who was flanked by three defenders at the top of the arc. With little space to work, the fourth-year phenom pieced together one of the finest individual efforts of the season.

With her back towards the cage while surrounded by the Vassar defense, Steele laced a pinpoint, no-look, through-the-legs pass to Mast, who was stationed on the interior. With one defender left to beat, the freshman pulled to her right and fired a reverse rocket into the netting for her third goal of the season.

Holding a lead with 10 minutes left in regulation, Christopher Newport went to work on the clock. Courtney Hughlett blocked off four clears along the left sideline before Billhimer intercepted a roller that nearly sprung a breakaway. Moments later, Billhimer came back with a second pick along the right edge of the circle, while Abendschoen sent another Brewer tumbling to the turf after handling a streaker in the corner.

Entering the final minute, CNU turned to its closer. After single-handedly cutting two minutes off the clock during last week's win over No. 9 York (Pa.), Pratzner was back at it again. This time, with 40 seconds left in regulation, the senior took the ball into the right corner. With two Brewers on her back, she stood tall and dribbled away the remaining time to ice the 2-1 triumph.

Overall, Christopher Newport held an 18-7 advantage in shots and a 9-4 lead in corners. Kerr collected three saves to earn the victory, while Vassar's Grace Wiley added 11 stops for the Brewers.

The Captains will return to action on October 5 for a noon test against Centre at Jennings Family Stadium.

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