GRANVILLE, Ohio -- Silencing the squad's fourth straight opponent, the fourth-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team continued its defensive domination with a 3-0 victory over Denison on Sunday afternoon at Deeds Field.

Just 24 hours after shutting down Ohio Wesleyan during a 6-0 triumph on Saturday, CNU capped off its swing through the Buckeye State with another stellar effort. Coupled with their clean-slate victories at home over Washington and Lee and Virginia Wesleyan, the Captains notched their fourth consecutive shutout, equaling the second-longest streak in school history.

Equally as impressive, Sunday's showcase was the program's 12th straight shutout against an unranked opponent. Christopher Newport has not allowed a tally to an unranked foe since Vassar scored its lone goal in the seventh minute of a 2-1 victory on September 28, 2024. That run stretches over 773 consecutive minutes of scoreless action.

Between the pipes, Lily Kerr collected a pair of saves to polish off her 20th career shutout. Meanwhile, Morgan Shealer and Courtney Hughlett both blocked shots to help quiet the Big Red attack.

On the offensive side, Riley Iasiello secured her first career multi-goal effort while extending her scoring streak to three straight games. Lindsey Loar also added her fourth goal of the year with a blast in the 23rd minute.

With the victory, Christopher Newport jumped to 6-0 on the season, while the setback dropped Denison to 2-4. It also continued CNU's stellar work in Ohio. In four all-time appearances in the state, the program improved to 4-0. That stands as the third-best record for the Captains in any state, trailing only a pair of 5-0 marks in both Delaware and Kentucky.

Setting the tone quickly, the visitors unleashed an early bombardment to test Denison's defensive unit. In the first seven minutes, Christopher Newport strung together five corners while hammering away at the Big Red. Peppering the back line, CNU uncorked three on-target shots, including a missile by Avery Mast that deflected off the keeper and landed 20 yards away from the cage.

Later, the Hughlett twins ran a gorgeous give-and-go, which resulted in a pointblank rip by Courtney, while Iasiello had a pair of turnaround tracers skip past both pipes.

Still looking to break through, the Captains lit up the scoreboard in the 11th minute. Kicking off the attack, Kelly Via uncorked a 30-yard screamer that bounced off a defender and skipped towards the right side of the circle. Tracking down the ricochet, Gigi Stephan orchestrated a highlight-reel rip.

After sprinting to secure the bouncer, she turned with a defender on her hip. Keeping her balance despite backpedaling while losing her right shoe, she dipped low and fired an elevated dart towards the cage. Capping off the play, Iasiello battled on the interior and deflected the rope between a defender and the goalie for her first strike of the contest.

Holding a 1-0 lead entering the second quarter, Christopher Newport pushed back against an early rush by the hosts. Mast broke up a counterstrike off a failed corner while ripping possession away from a streaker in the 20th minute. Moments later, Shealer blocked a shot at the edge of the arc before Via escorted it out of the circle.

Still marching forward, Denison had another threat developing near the right sideline, but Kendall Gibson won a one-on-one duel before hammering the ball up the boundary to end the rally.

Moments later, Gibson made an impact on the other end of the field as well. After a corner attempt was initially stymied by the Big Red, Denison attempted to clear the ball, but Gibson grabbed the feed and launched it back into the circle. On the receiving end, Loar settled the rocket, pulled to her right, and flashed pinpoint precision. Flanked by two defenders, she lifted a shot that kissed off the right pipe and spun behind the keeper to snatch a 2-0 lead entering halftime.

Staring at a two-goal hole, Denison regrouped during the break and came out on the attack in the third period. Marching forward, the hosts had an early look, but Courtney Hughlett slammed the door. Although an attacker had an angle, the junior speedster made up ground and cut off the look with a spinning deflection just inside the arc.

Moments later, with a 3-on-2 developing, Shealer stayed in front of a shooter and forced a pass, which Mast intercepted on the left side of the zone. Unfazed, Denison continued its attack while earning three straight corners in the middle of the period.

Brushing aside the assault, Kerr knocked down a high shot along the left post on the first corner. After that point, Ellie Nuckols took over. On Denison's next attempt, the junior galloped out to the top of the arc and prevented an initial blast before a secondary shot sailed out-of-bounds. Then, on the final try, she flashed her track star speed while catching up to an errant feed before blocking a Hail Mary launch 25 yards from the cage.

Although the hosts returned to the offensive end in the final minute of the third quarter, Courtney Hughlett clamped down on Denison's fourth corner of the stanza. After sprinting towards the arc, she stayed in front of a shooter and forced a low-percentage chip that spiraled over the crossbar.

With 15 minutes left in regulation, CNU kept a tight lid on the Big Red throughout the fourth quarter. In the early moments, Courtney Hughlett wrestled possession away from an attacker at the top of the arc before Via stonewalled two straight runs, including a slick interception on a roller deep inside the circle. Kerr also chipped in with a kick save on a worm-burner near the right post to keep the hosts off the board.

Following the defensive stand, the Captains landed one final blow on the offensive side. Loar wiggled her way through two defenders before connecting with Caroline Hughlett, who was stationed on the interior. With a defender on her back, Hughlett slipped a feed to Iasiello, who deflected the ball off the keeper.

Although the goalie made the initial save, Iasiello corralled her own rebound, pulled towards the right post, and squeezed a shot behind the defense to ice the 3-0 victory.

Overall, Christopher Newport held a 25-6 advantage in shots and a 15-4 lead in corners.

CNU will return to action on September 20 at 1 p.m. when the Captains square off with Messiah in a neutral-site tilt at Mary Washington's Battleground Turf Field.

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