NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Putting in outstanding work on both ends of the field, Elena Sorkin matched her career-high with six points, while Molly Campbell caused six turnovers as the Christopher Newport women's lacrosse team rolled past Roanoke, 17-9, on a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Jennings Family Stadium.

Against the Maroons, Sorkin finished with four goals and a pair of assists to headline a potent offensive attack. Faith O'Connor also landed four strikes for the victors, while Brooklynn Peterson added a hat-trick. Meanwhile, Brookelyn Morrison dished out three assists, including the 50th of her career. She became just the 18th Captain to reach that milestone.

On the other side of the field, CNU had 20 takeaways, which equaled the sixth-highest total in school history. Leading the way on the back end, Campbell had half-a-dozen strips, which matched the eighth-most by a Captain in program lore.

Along with Campbell, Sam Murphy chipped in with four caused turnovers of her own, while Kate Lamendola had three, including two on back-to-back rallies in the fourth quarter to help quiet Roanoke's comeback bid.

With the victory, Christopher Newport improved to 2-0 on the season, while the setback dropped Roanoke to 1-1.

Landing the first blow of the game, Sorkin struck just 30 seconds into regulation. Sidestepping a defender with a devastating cut, she sent the Maroon spinning into the turf before sinking her first strike on a sprint down the center of the zone. Moments later, after Peterson killed off a clear attempt with a takeaway along the sideline, she benefited from her own defensive heroics.

On the ensuing possession, the first-year phenom ripped a shot that was saved by the keeper. Staying with the play, she quickly secured the rebound and converted a second-chance opportunity near the left post to steal a 2-0 lead.

Battling back, the Maroons answered with three straight goals at the end of the first period to snatch a 3-2 edge entering the second stanza. Unfazed by the momentum shift, CNU quickly went to work.

In the span of three minutes, the Captains slapped three goals on the board. On a fast-break after a takeaway by Annabella Burke along the right sideline, Peterson went straight to the cage before draining her second goal of the contest. Moments later, Lamendola joined the party with a rocket on the interior, while O'Connor pushed the advantage to 5-3 with a highlight-reel tally.

On the play, Sorkin drew three defenders to the top of the zone before dropping a dime over the crowd. Along the crease, O'Connor caught the pass while motoring towards the right post. Moving straight at a pair of defenders, she hit the brakes and uncorked a behind-the-back bullet to hand the hosts a two-goal lead.

Trading punches, Roanoke evened the score with three minutes left in the first half before CNU shot back again. Off a free-position attempt, Campbell skipped a shot through the keeper to regain a slim cushion. Then, with mere seconds left on the clock, Morrison put her vision of full display.

Needing to work quickly while stationed nearly 20 yards from the cage, the senior All-American fired a pinpoint feed to Kate Webb, who caught the pass on the doorstep. Surrounded by a pair of defenders, Webb turned through traffic and snapped off a screamer with less than a second left on the clock.

Holding a 7-5 lead entering the second half, the Captains quickly stretched their advantage after the break. On the defensive end, CNU threw a blanket over the turf. After shrugging off a scary hit in the first quarter that left her bloodied on the sideline, Gabby Saia returned to the field and never missed a beat. On Roanoke's first rally in the third stanza, she was glued to an attacker through a series of dodges in the right corner before dropping the hammer to force a turnover.

Moments later, Campbell notched two straight takeaways. The sophomore used an over-the-head trail-check to strip one attacker before crashing down on a shooter and knocking the ball loose during a second surge. 

With the defense doing its job, the offense found its rhythm on the other end. During a five-minute window, O'Connor and Morrison both landed eight-meter missiles, Sorkin drove home a pair of strikes, and Burke fired a laser around the hip of a defender to help secure a 12-5 lead.

Although Roanoke cut its deficit back down to six for a brief moment, CNU fired right back. O'Connor connected on two more goals, including a slick sprint that saw her weave through three defenders after catching a pass from Morrison. Burke also bullied her way through a crowd and flipped a feed to Sorkin, who spun around one last Maroon before landing a bouncer into the bottom left corner of the cage.

Finishing off the third quarter with a 15-7 lead, Christopher Newport put the game out-of-reach early in the fourth frame. On the defensive end, Lamendola tied up a streaker on a quick clear to quiet a breakaway before staying on the hip of another attacker, which silenced a second surge. Campbell also came through with another over-the-head check to break up a separate rush by the visitors.

Meanwhile, on the offensive end, Peterson polished off her hat-trick with a free-position strike, while Burke connected with Megan Rotzler on a tracer in transition, which pushed the lead to 10 at 17-7.

Although Roanoke retaliated with back-to-back goals, CNU's lead was never in doubt. After a timeout, the Captains never let the Maroons find another opening. Murphy picked off a pass near the left post, Sorkin wrestled possession away on a failed clear, and Campbell capped off her historic appearance with an interception along the left sideline.

Overall, Christopher Newport held a 43-18 advantage in shots and a 28-14 lead in ground balls. The Captains also controlled 14 of the game's 26 draws. Morrison led the way with seven draws, while Murphy notched six. Meanwhile, Campbell, Peterson, and Murphy all collected four ground balls apiece.

On the back end, Hadley Chadwick notched four saves, including two on free-position attempts, to keep a tight lid on the high-powered Roanoke attack.

CNU will return to action on February 28 when the squad wraps up its homestand against St. Mary's (Md.) at 4 p.m.

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