NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Madi Rozgonyi recorded her 100th career ground ball and anchored a defensive effort that forced 10 turnovers, but the 22nd-ranked Christopher Newport women's lacrosse team could not quite keep pace with No. 4 Gettysburg as the Captains dropped a 16-6 decision to the Bullets on a sun-soaked Wednesday afternoon at Jennings Family Stadium.

During the battle, Rozgonyi hauled in four ground balls, which bumped her career total to 102. With that performance, she became just the 22nd Captain in school history to eclipse 100 rollers.

Along with Rozgonyi, Hadley Chadwick also pocketed four ground balls while notching 11 saves. Her 11 stops established a new season-high and marked the most by a Captain against a top-five foe since Becca Creekmore swallowed a dozen shots at No. 4 Salisbury on April 3, 2021.

Equally impressive, Brookelyn Morrison led CNU with five draw controls against Gettysburg. Only Sam Wettengel, Gracie Sanders, and former All-American Emma Jackson ever recorded more against a top-five opponent. Meanwhile, with that effort, Morrison also moved into the top-five on the program's career list with her 174th draw. That bumped her past Wettengel and Syd Guidi on the all-time charts.

On the offensive end, Kate Lamendola and Elena Sorkin posted two goals apiece, while Morrison and Page Henry also landed blows for the Captains. As a team, CNU's five free-position goals equaled the most in a contest since the squad landed six against Kean on March 5, 2022.

With the setback, Christopher Newport fell to 4-3 on the season, while the victory bumped Gettysburg to 5-0.

After the Bullets opened the scoring in the second minute, Henry fired back just 60 seconds later. Following a draw control by Rozgonyi, the second-year star landed a missile from the top right hash to knot the score at one.

Back on even ground, CNU orchestrated one of its finest defensive stands of the season. During a three-minute window, the Captains suffocated the Bullets. First, Chadwick collected a pair of saves, including a quick-hitter on the interior. Later, Morrison helped disrupt a free-position attempt after getting her stick on a shooter, which forced the ensuing blast to catch the right pipe.

Although Gettysburg continued to attack, Morrison gobbled up an errant feed that skipped off the turf before clearing the defensive end.

After running into a brick wall during the early part of the period, the visitors found some openings and scored three straight goals in the middle of the stanza. Despite the surge, Christopher Newport regrouped on the back end.

Keeping the deficit at three, Rozgonyi ate up a dodge in the right alley before knocking the ball loose. Eventually, she pocketed the roller and wiggled her way between a pair of Bullets along the baseline to jump-start a successful clear. Moments later, on Gettysburg's next trip down the field, Carys May and Maddie Rusinko crashed down on an attacker in the center of the zone, while Gabby Saia intercepted a low-percentage pass to kill the threat. 

Back on the offensive end, Morrison had an initial rip blocked by the keeper, but Lamendola stuck with the play. Scooting in from the left side, the sophomore standout collected the rebound and spun a seed around the ankles of the keeper to capitalize on the second-chance opportunity.  

Although Gettysburg answered at the end of the first quarter, Christopher Newport battled back in the second stanza. First, on the defensive side, Saia and Lexi Larson closed off the right post after an attacker tried to secure a looping feed across the zone. Later, Chadwick stoned an eight-meter attempt, while Sorkin came through with one of the most impressive clears of the year.

Taking possession with her back towards midfield, she quickly flipped around and found herself staring at a pair of Bullets. Unfazed, she rolled towards the left sideline, hit the brakes, and used a slick jump-cut to sidestep both defenders. Although a third player came storming in to apply more pressure, she circled underneath, cut through traffic, and crossed the center stripe.

Capitalizing on the offensive end, Morrison dotted the top right corner of the cage with an eight-meter missile to pull back within two at 5-3.

Once again, Gettysburg fired back, but Christopher Newport closed out the first half in style. Keeping the deficit at three, Rusinko won a physical altercation with an attacker who tried to catch a pass along the right post, while Morrison intercepted another feed in the middle of the zone. Later, at the end of the period, Lamendola stayed with a cutter and used a stick-lift to pop a ball free on the interior.

Continuing the defensive work in the second half, Chadwick came back with two straight saves after slamming the door on a high-to-high hammer on the doorstep before collecting a long-range rocket through traffic. Larson also picked off a pass at the top of the zone, but the Bullets continued to put pressure on CNU's defense.

Finding their rhythm in the middle of the period, Gettysburg quickly flipped a three-goal lead into a seven-goal advantage. However, the Captains continued to battle all across the field.

On the offensive end, Sorkin and Lamendola slammed home a pair of free-position attempts during a three-minute assault. Later, after a draw control was won by the visitors, Drew Stanley put on a show. Blanketing the turf from sideline-to-sideline, she forced two separate Bullets into 10-yard retreats while defending three different players. Eventually, her hustle single-handedly cut 30 seconds off Gettysburg's ensuing possession.

Meanwhile, on the back end, Morrison pressured an attacker during a free-position attempt, which forced an off-kilter shot that Chadwick grabbed in the crease. 

Unfortunately, the Captains could never pull any closer. In the fourth quarter, Gettysburg ripped off four straight goals to snatch a double-digit lead. Although Rozgonyi came through with another takeaway, Chadwick secured her 11th save, and Sorkin landed a laser under the crossbar on an eight-meter shot, Christopher Newport eventually dropped the 16-6 decision.

Overall, Gettysburg held a 31-13 advantage in shots and controlled 16 of the game's 26 draws. On the other side, CNU led the way in ground balls, 16-15. In addition to the four rollers by Rozgonyi and Chadwick, Saia, Lamendola, and Morrison notched two apiece.

Christopher Newport will return to action with a pair of road games this weekend. The Captains will travel to Haverford for a noon battle on Saturday before rolling to Swarthmore for a 1 p.m. tilt on Sunday.

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