NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Bolting out to a five-goal lead in the first quarter, the fourth-ranked Christopher Newport men's lacrosse team polished off the regular season with an emphatic 16-6 victory over Stockton during a Coastal Lacrosse Conference clash on Saturday afternoon at the Stockton Turf Field.

Receiving contributions from a variety of standouts, CNU saw 15 different players register at least one point. Among the top scorers, Jamie Smith sank four strikes, which was his 13th straight multi-goal effort. Meanwhile, Brett Jackson landed a pair of man-up missiles. With that performance, the senior All-American moved one away from matching former legend Dylan Rice's career record of 25 man-up goals.

Equally impressive on the offensive side, Jackson Platner chipped in with three points, while Daniel Siaton added two assists during a pair of fast-break opportunities.

Keeping Stockton in check, Warner Cabaniss won 11 of his 14 faceoffs and grabbed seven ground balls. Meanwhile, Mason Bellinger and Declan McCulloch combined for 15 saves between the pipes.

With the victory, Christopher Newport finished the regular season with a 15-2 record, including a 4-1 mark in league action. The setback dropped Stockton to 8-9 with a 1-4 ledger against conference foes.

From the very beginning, the Captains took control of the contest. During an unsettled situation, Kevin Miller connected with AJ Rosacker, who uncorked a long-pole laser from the top of the zone. Although Stockton eventually answered with an equalizer in the third minute, CNU shrugged off the early stumble and orchestrated a lethal assault.

Tormenting the Ospreys, Jackson made them pay for a pair of penalties with two early man-up tallies. Meanwhile, Will Cramp snapped a sidewinder around the ankles of the keeper, while Jackson Shaw absorbed some contact while posting a turnaround tracer in the left wing. Shortly thereafter, in the final moments of the opening period, Smith won possession of a loose ball in the middle of a crowd.

With only seconds left on the clock, he spun through traffic before connecting on a fake-and-finish to lock up a 6-1 lead after the first 15 minutes of action.

In the second stanza, Bellinger opened the period with an outstanding save on a point-blank rip before Siaton collected the rebound. Bolting up the right sideline, the short-stick midfielder kept the Ospreys on their heels before spinning a feed to Zack Sands, who whistled a one-timer from the center of the zone. 

Following Stockton's second tally of the contest, CNU landed two more blows. First, Fred Fulkerson used a bull dodge to barrel through a defender. Although two more Ospreys tried to pinch off his run, the sophomore split the pair before scoring on the inside. Later, from the right corner, Gabe Montognese lofted a teardrop over the defense. On the receiving end, Cramp quickly redirected the feed down to Smith, who scored along the left post.

Meanwhile, on the defensive side, Jayden Hardnett came through with a fancy over-the-shoulder interception on a feed in the left alley before Colin DeGrassi forced an errant pass with a violent check along the crease, which helped lock up a 9-3 halftime lead.

After the break, Christopher Newport went back to work on the offensive side. Early on, Shaw fought through contact and fired a pass to Platner, who snapped off a screamer from the left side. Later, on the back end, Siaton picked off a bouncer while stationed between a pair of attackers. Although he was dragged to the turf, he quickly regained his footing, stormed down the field, and found Smith for another fast-break bullet.

Looking for a double-digit lead, the Captains continued the assault later in the period. Smith capped off his afternoon after wrapping a dart around two defenders. Then, Ryan Traynor slipped through a crowd after faking a laser from long range. After holstering his initial shot, he cruised past a pair of Ospreys, ate a stick check, and scored on the inside.

Carrying a 13-3 lead into the fourth quarter, Christopher Newport had little left to prove over the final 15 minutes. Early in the frame, Brady Mitchell broke out a slick spin move to avoid a defender behind the crease. After pulling around the left post, he avoided a second Osprey before launching a low liner around the keeper.

Later, Garrett Talkington notched his first career goal in the 56th minute. With the shot-clock winding down, he bolted from behind the cage, faked a feed, cut underneath a defender, and ripped a rocket from the right side. Then, in the final minute, Luke Solomon secured a bouncer near midfield, burned down the left alley, and drove home CNU's final nail to wrap up the victory.

Overall, Christopher Newport held a 62-40 advantage in shots and a 33-20 lead in ground balls. The Captains also won 19 of the game's 26 faceoffs. In addition to Cabaniss' work at the dot, Grant Giunchi went 5-for-7 on faceoffs, while Tom Best was a perfect 2-for-2.

CNU will return to action on April 30 with a semifinal showdown in the Coastal Lacrosse Conference playoffs. The opponent and game time will be determined later this month.

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