NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Penning the opening chapter to the 2026 campaign, the third-ranked Christopher Newport men's lacrosse team kicked off the new year with an emphatic statement as the Captains rolled past Elizabethtown, 17-4, on a frigid Friday afternoon at Jennings Family Stadium.

Playing the first official lacrosse game in the NCAA this year, CNU and Elizabethtown had the national stage all to themselves. Taking advantage of the extra attention, the Captains pieced together a highlight-filled triumph while recording their seventh straight season-opening victory.

Headlining the action, senior Jamie Smith picked up right where he left off last year. After leading the NCAA with 84 goals during his junior season, he opened 2026 with seven strikes. That total equaled the fifth-highest single-game output in school history. It also made him just the 21st Captain to eclipse 100 career points.

Along with Smith, Kevin Miller added six points, including his 10th career hat-trick. Several newcomers also flashed their skills on Friday. Freshman Ryan Miller posted three assists and a pair of goals during his first appearance at CNU. His five points equaled the most by a Captain in his collegiate debut, matching perennial All-American Dylan Rice, who opened his career with five goals against Washington & Lee on February 14, 2018.

In addition to Miller, Randolph Campbell came through with an equally impressive introduction to the CNU faithful. A first-year Captain after transferring from Providence, the sophomore chipped in with a hat-trick during his first outing in Newport News.

Just as dominant in all facets of the game, Christopher Newport controlled possession while winning 19 of the 25 faceoffs, including a 10-for-13 effort by Zach Ward. Grant Giunchi also claimed eight of his 11 battles, while Conner Derogatis snatched one of his own.

Defensively, Mason Bellinger pocketed seven saves and added three takeaways before leaving with a comfortable lead in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, Mark Davison caused three turnovers for the victors, and AJ Rosacker had a pair.

Playing the game in the midst of an arctic blast that forced most schools to cancel their opener or move indoors, CNU took the first faceoff with the thermometer pegged at 26 degrees. That marked the coldest opening to any home game in program history, topping the 29-degree battle against Washington & Lee on February 11, 2016.

Across all games, Friday's outing was the second-coldest in program history, trailing only a 19-degree road tilt against Washington & Lee in Lexington, Virginia on February 13, 2015.

Shrugging off the chilly weather, the Captains burst out of the gate with an electric first quarter. Six minutes into the contest, the reliable tandem of Smith and Kevin Miller opened the scoring. Dodging in the left corner, Miller found Smith behind the crease. After securing the feed, the senior circled around the post and dunked on the doorstep for the first goal of the 2026 NCAA lacrosse season.

After the seal was broken, Christopher Newport unleashed a flurry of strikes over the next eight minutes. Less than 60 seconds after the first tally, Ryan Miller dropped a dime between two defenders. On the receiving end, Campbell caught the feed on the move before scoring on the inside.

Later in the opening stanza, Smith added two more goals, including a slick play that saw him wrestle possession away from a pair of defenders before notching another dart on the doorstep in the 12th minute. Meanwhile, John Santoro joined the party with a step-down snipe from the left alley, while Ryan Miller dipped underneath a Blue Jay for a point-blank blast along the right post.

Meanwhile, on the defensive end, Davison broke up a skip pass in traffic at the tail end of the period, while Bellinger slipped out of the crease and picked off a feed along the right pipe. The USA Lacrosse Magazine National Preseason Goalie of the Year also made a pair of stops in the opening period to help the Captains build an early 6-0 lead.

In the second quarter, Bellinger came back with another interception after stealing a hot rocket that Elizabethtown tried to slip over the top of the cage. Shortly thereafter, on a failed clear by the visitors, Colin DeGrassi barreled through a crowd to snatch an errant roller before Rosacker collected the spinner and generated a fast-break opportunity.

With the defense struggling to catch up, Fred Fulkerson drew the attention of two Blue Jays before flipping possession to Ryan Miller, who landed a long-range heater inside the right post.

Although Elizabethtown battled back with two straight goals in the middle of the period, Christopher Newport punctuated the first half in style. Kevin Miller wrapped a shot around the hip of the keeper before adding an assist on a high-to-low hammer by Smith. Then, with just seconds left in the stanza, Smith had a restart from the left sideline. Working quickly, he sidestepped three defenders before finding Campbell, who deposited a dagger into the bottom left corner of the cage.

Staring at a 10-2 deficit entering halftime, the Blue Jays slapped a pair of early goals on the board in the third quarter. Unfazed by the resurgence, the Captains settled in. Smith sank a sidewinder from the left corner for his fifth goal. Then, after another takeaway by Davison on a failed clear, CNU hit the visitors in transition.

Grabbing the ball near midfield, Jayden Hardnett cleared the center stripe before sending a long feed across the turf to Ryan Miller. With the Blue Jays on their heels, Miller found his older brother, who was alone on the crease for his second goal.

Still motoring along, Smith battled through a double-team before draining a lefty laser from close range before Jackson Platner skipped a seed to Kevin Miller, who drove a high hammer into the top right corner of the cage.

Holding a double-digit lead entering the final 15 minutes, the hosts eased into the victory. On the offensive end, Campbell capitalized on a screen by Fulkerson to wiggle free on the way to his third tally of the game. Later, Ryan Traynor played an integral role on the final two strikes.

In the 52nd minute, the sophomore saved a ball from slipping across the baseline with a lunging stab near the end of the shot clock. Eventually, he tossed a no-look pass back to Kevin Miller, who found Smith streaking down the center of the zone for his seventh goal.

Moments later, Traynor dodged behind the crease, created a little space, and found Santoro on the move for the game's final tally.

Overall, Christopher Newport held a 58-22 advantage in shots and a 47-17 lead in ground balls. Giunchi picked up a game-high seven rollers to go along with his eight faceoff wins, while Ryan Miller added six to round out his historic debut. Daniel Siaton also nabbed five and played a key role on the clearing unit, which kept Elizabethtown off-balance throughout the contest.

Adding another footnote to Friday's proceedings, the contest marked the first outdoor sporting event in CNU athletics history held in the month of January.

The Captains will return to action on February 7 with a noon trip to Hampden-Sydney.

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