NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Taking advantage of a first-half goal by Emily Evans and a 60-minute masterpiece on the defensive side of the ball, the sixth-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team gave head coach Carrie Moura her 300th career win as the Captains shut out Washington and Lee, 1-0, on a cloud-covered Sunday afternoon at Jennings Family Stadium.

In the 23rd minute, Courtney Hughlett broke down the W&L defense before finding Evans on the doorstep for the game's lone goal. That was the only offense CNU needed as Lily Kerr notched four saves and Kendall Gibson added a defensive stop to suffocate the Generals on the way to the 1-0 triumph.

With the victory, Moura became the 47th field hockey coach in NCAA history to reach 300 career wins and only the 17th to achieve that mark at the Division III level. Reaching the milestone in just her 391st career game, she became the seventh fastest coach to accomplish the feat, trailing only longtime legends Beth Anders (348 games), Sharon Pfluger, (351), Nicky Pearson (357), Jan Hutchinson (365), Karen Shelton (382), and Dawn Chamberlin (390).

It seemed only fitting that her historic win came during another defensive gem by the Captains. Remarkably, over half of Moura's 300 career triumphs have come via shutout as her squads have blanked 158 opponents since she took the reins of the program in 2003. Sunday was her 27th 1-0 win.

In her storied career, Moura has defeated 59 different programs and 93 separate head coaches. Along the way, she has knocked off 47 nationally-ranked foes, survived 22 overtime marathons, and recorded wins in 13 different states in addition to Washington, D.C.

Notching each and every one of her wins with the Captains, she became just the 23rd coach in NCAA history to reach the 300-win plateau with only one program.

Overall, Christopher Newport improved to 3-0 on the season, while the setback dropped Washington and Lee to 1-2.

Early in regulation, the Generals orchestrated the game's first scoring opportunity. Seven minutes into the contest, the visitors unleashed a dart from the left side of the circle, but Kerr made an out-stretched save to block the bullet on the interior. Moments later, Washington and Lee picked up a corner, but Ellie Nuckols applied immediate pressure at the top of the arc and forced the ensuing shot to trickle past the left pipe.

Three minutes later, on the opposite end of the turf, the Captains nearly broke through after earning their own corner. Hughlett had a pair of rockets kicked away by the keeper before Gigi Stephan broke up a clear and sent the ball back towards the cage. With a second opportunity, Nuckols and Lindsey Loar pounded away along the post, but the W&L goalie hit the deck and swallowed back-to-back deflections to keep the game scoreless in the middle of the opening stanza.

Looking to flip the field, the Generals unloaded a long-hit towards the left corner in the 13th minute. With an attacker tracking down the ball after slipping past the CNU defense, Kelly Via made up ground and won a footrace to snatch the spinner as she killed the threat before any damage could be done.

Entering the final minute of the first quarter, Christopher Newport applied consistent pressure while garnering three corners and pumping five straight shots, including on-target tracers by Courtney and Caroline Hughlett. Unfortunately, their efforts went unrewarded as Washington and Lee kept the game knotted at zero entering the second period.

Hoping to break the scoreless deadlock, CNU found an opening just seven minutes into the new quarter. Carving up the defense, Courtney Hughlett intercepted a roller near the left sideline, spun through two midfielders, and sliced a feed past three more Generals before connecting with Evans. On the receiving end, Evans cut in front of the keeper, settled the pass, and blasted a backhand from close range to put the Captains on the board.

Meanwhile, on the defensive side, Christopher Newport threw up roadblocks all over the field. Gibson stayed deep and stole possession from a General, who tried to sneak into the circle. Later, Stephan cut off a shooter while preventing an attempt from the top of the arc.

Then, in the 26th minute, CNU pieced together one of its finest defensive stands of the season. Following a W&L corner, Kerr walled off the right post while making an acrobatic save on a point-blank shot in the middle of a crowd. Although the Generals collected the rebound and fired a second seed towards the cage, Gibson handled the bouncer along the end line and punched it away while blanketed by two attackers.

After the initial wave, the visitors generated another corner, but Kerr made a kick save before Nuckols collected the ricochet while winning possession from three Generals in the center of the zone.

Following a successful clear by the hosts, Washington and Lee tried to orchestrate a last-second rush at the end of the first half, but Loar and Brylee Johnston picked off feeds along the right sideline to prevent a counterstrike and keep a 1-0 edge entering the break.

Looking to gain a little breathing room in the third quarter, the Captains put together a quick assault, but the Generals held up against the surge. Early on, Riley Iasiello just missed connecting with Caroline Hughlett on a gorgeous crosser, while Loar and Hailey Ward did tremendous work in tight quarters to produce three shots on the interior. Shortly thereafter, Avery Mast weaved through traffic and found Emma Weber, but the freshman's turnaround tracer was handled down low.

After the defensive work, Washington and Lee attempted to retaliate on the other end, but Via stayed in front of a pair of streakers to stymie back-to-back 2-on-2 runs in the middle of the stanza. Then, Courtney Hughlett flashed her stick skills while knocking down a missile along the edge of the arc to quiet another push later in the period.

Still fostering a 1-0 lead entering the fourth frame, CNU wrapped up its defensive clinic with more outstanding work over the final 15 minutes. In the opening moments of the quarter, Mast completed a 50-yard sprint into the circle before blocking a shot on the interior. Although the visitors earned a subsequent corner, Nuckols showed off her speed by intercepting the ensuing insert before it could even reach the top of the arc.

Continuing the domination later in the period, Morgan Shealer picked off a long-hit near midfield to brush aside a clear attempt, while Kate Engle jumped between two midfielders and broke up back-to-back passes. Shortly thereafter, Johnston bottled up another run after standing up a pair of Generals along the center stripe before pushing her way through a defender along the sideline to complete a clear by the Captains.

Then, with time winding down, Washington and Lee managed one last surge. In the 57th minute, the squad was awarded another corner, but Kerr stoned a nuke on the interior before Courtney Hughlett grabbed the rebound and escorted the ball out of the circle. Seconds later, after the Generals regained possession, Loar gobbled up a pass along the 25 and sent it to Johnston, who showed off some slick footwork to avoid a foul while clearing it up the left boundary to help lock up the win.

Overall, Christopher Newport held a 32-8 advantage in shots and a 9-6 lead in corners.

The Captains will return to action on Wednesday when the team hosts Virginia Wesleyan at 7 p.m.

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