NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Celebrating Senior Day in style, the veteran members of the third-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team carried the Captains to a 5-0 victory over Saint Francis on a cloud-covered Saturday afternoon at Jennings Family Stadium.
Against the Red Wolves,
Caroline Hughlett posted her third multi-goal effort of the season, while fellow seniors
Lindsey Loar and
Kendall Gibson added one strike apiece. With her eruption, Hughlett moved to fifth on the program's all-time scoring list after wrapping up the day with 92 career points. Meanwhile, Loar's blast was her 10th career game-winning goal, tying CNU Hall of Famer Belle Tunstall for the fifth-most in school history.
Adding her own historic footnote, fourth-year phenom
Ellie Nuckols served as the inserter on the corner that led to Gibson's dagger in the 22nd minute. That marked the 20th time in her career that Nuckols started a successful corner, tying former legend Madison Doss for the most in program lore.
Along with the veteran stars,
Ellen Gallagher rounded out Saturday's goal-scorers after landing a blow early in the first quarter.
With the victory, Christopher Newport improved to 12-1 on the season, while the setback dropped Saint Francis to 3-9.
Early on, the Captains flashed their high-powered attack while tossing a pair of quick goals on the board. Less than two minutes into regulation,
Courtney Hughlett swiped a failed clear along the top of the circle before sending a pass to her sister, who was stationed in the left corner.
Working quickly,
Caroline Hughlett centered the ball to Loar. With a clean look at the cage, the senior blistered a shot that bounced off the goalie's pads. Staying with the play, the senior All-American quickly recovered her own rebound and planted a second-chance seed inside the left post for the game's opening goal.
Moments later, the hosts came back for more. After Nuckols picked off a pass along the offensive 25, she connected with
Emma Weber, who found a little space in the right corner. Showing off her power and precision, the second-year star threaded a 20-yard, pinpoint pass through six defenders. On the receiving end, Gallagher collected the feed and deposited a rocket into the bottom left corner of the cage.
Meanwhile, on the defensive side, Christopher Newport never let Saint Francis find a rhythm.
Avery Mast hauled in an off-target pass at the defensive 25 before
Calli Martin wrenched one loose near the right sideline. Later,
Kelly Via bottled up a long run along the opposite boundary, and Gibson plucked an aerial at midfield.
Continuing the defensive domination,
Gigi Stephan stamped out back-to-back runs near the center stripe before
Courtney Hughlett secured a long hit in the left corner and twisted her way around two players while handing possession back to the attack. Then, in the waning moments of the period, the visitors had a 3-on-1 developing, but Hughlett stayed in front of the lead streaker and pounced on the ball as soon as it bounced off the attacker's stick.
In the second stanza, Nuckols put on a clinic. Early on, she badgered an attacker with tight pressure along the right sideline before causing an errant pass to slip over the boundary. Later, she intercepted an aerial and extinguished another clear attempt after winning a one-on-one duel near midfield.
Following Nuckols' early work,
Hailey Ward followed suit. The sophomore stripped a defender who tried to spin free near the offensive 25 before making a lunging stab to knock the ball away from another player in the right corner. Shortly thereafter, she also snatched a worm-burner off the turf with a pretty pick to kill another run by the visitors.
Later in the period, Saint Francis had a dangerous rally developing near midfield, but Martin reached out and grabbed a pass before chipping it over the stick of a second attacker and handing it back to CNU's offense. Then,
Kate Engle stonewalled a player who tried to slip inside the left side of the circle before
Caroline Hughlett raced in and ripped the ball away.
Meanwhile, Christopher Newport continued to attack on the other side of the field.
Riley Iasiello had a gorgeous play near the baseline as the senior sidestepped two defenders before generating a corner with a push along the right post.
Kearney Cunningham also picked up a corner after blasting a shot off the foot of a defender from the center of the circle.
Following Cunningham's work, CNU capitalized in the 22nd minute. On the play, Nuckols inserted the ball to
Courtney Hughlett, who broke out a behind-the-back feed to Mast. With a defender on her hip, the junior pumped a one-timer towards the right pipe.
Battling for some space on the interior, Gibson found the perfect spot as the senior got her stick on Mast's rope and sent it spinning over the shoulder of a defender and the goalie for her first strike of the season.
Holding a 3-0 edge entering the break, Christopher Newport had to fend off an early surge by Saint Francis in the third quarter. The visitors secured a corner and had a solid look near the right post, but
Anna Mosciano stood up against the assault and sealed off the cage with a pair of saves. Later, on a second attempt, Mast and
Morgan Shealer helped clean up some garbage in the center of the zone before the Captains flipped the field.
Following the defensive stand, the hosts struck again. In the 40th minute, Nuckols barreled into the circle and sent a defender crashing to the turf while earning a corner. Taking advantage, Weber inserted the ball to Loar, who used a nice touch pass to hand possession to Via at the top of the arc.
With the Red Wolves in pursuit, Via handcuffed a defender with a laser that bounced off the player's stick and shot right to
Caroline Hughlett. In a flash, the senior punched the ball past a second defender along the right pipe for her first tally.
Staring at a four-goal deficit, Saint Francis had another scoring opportunity after a failed corner by CNU. With a jailbreak developing after the insert slipped past the Captains,
Ella Elliott played it perfectly as she stayed in front of the lead attacker to prevent a breakaway. Eventually, her pressure forced the visitors to try a long pass, but Cunningham was right there to escort the dribbler through the defensive end.
Later, Saint Francis had another rush developing along the left sideline, but Cunningham caught up to an attacker and knocked the ball away from behind to kill the surge and keep the 4-0 lead entering the final stanza.
Looking to stretch the advantage, Christopher Newport created a series of great looks early in the fourth quarter. On a failed clear,
Maddy Gagnon dipped low and stripped a player at the offensive 25. Showcasing her athleticism, she quickly changed course, burst into the circle, and drew a foul, which led to a stroke.
Although the Captains were unable to convert the opportunity, the offense kept up the pressure. Iasiello grabbed the ball near midfield and had a missile kicked away by the keeper. Then,
Courtney Hughlett had a pair of daggers snuffed out by sprawling saves, while
Victoria Trejo shoveled a pass to
Ellie Kidd, but her ensuing attempt trickled past the pipe.
Eventually, the sustained pressure paid off as CNU collected one last goal at the end of regulation. Following a corner in the final minute, Weber inserted the ball to Mast, who ran a little give-and-go with
Courtney Hughlett. After regaining possession, the junior unloaded a screamer that was punted by the goalie.
Despite the initial save,
Caroline Hughlett recovered the rebound and capitalized from close range for the squad's fifth and final goal of the contest.
Overall, Christopher Newport held a 48-2 advantage in shots and an 18-2 edge in corners.
Ella Fallen earned the victory with 38 minutes of pristine work, while Mosciano added two saves during her 22 minutes of action.
CNU will continue its homestand on October 28 with a 6 p.m. showdown against Mary Washington.
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