GAMBIER, Ohio -- With less than 24 hours to recover after a grueling top-25 battle against No. 10 Denison on Saturday, the 19th-ranked Christopher Newport women's lacrosse team was up to the challenge and quickly returned to form with a well-rounded showcase during a 20-5 victory against Kenyon on Sunday afternoon at The Field at Benson Bowl.

Headlining the attack, Faith O'Connor matched her career-high with six goals, including a first-quarter hat-trick. Brookelyn Morrison also landed four strikes for the victors while adding a game-high nine draw controls for good measure.

Rounding out the high-volume scorers, Elena Sorkin chipped in with her 10th hat-trick of the season after scoring three times in the first half. Coupled with her five-goal eruption against No. 10 Denison on Saturday, she became just the second Captain since 2017 to record a hat-trick on back-to-back days. In that club, she joined former legend Syd Guidi, who also accomplished the feat against Kenyon and Denison during an Ohio swing from March 30-31, 2024.

On the defensive side, Hadley Chadwick made a little history of her own while hauling in six saves for CNU. Sunday's game was her 55th consecutive start dating back to May 6, 2023. That tied longtime standout Hanna Slough for the longest streak by a goalie in program history. Slough made 55 straight starts from February 23, 2013 through April 21, 2015.

Meanwhile, Chadwick's final save of the contest was her 419th career stop. Fittingly, that moved her into a tie with Slough for the third-most in school lore.

With the victory, Christopher Newport improved to 9-3 on the season, while the setback snapped Kenyon's three-game winning streak and dropped the Owls to 4-5.

In the first two minutes of regulation, the Captains slapped three goals on the board. Collecting a skip pass from O'Connor, Morrison buried a bullet into the top right corner of the cage for the game's opening blow. Seconds later, the senior All-American came back for her second straight strike after dunking on the doorstep before O'Connor landed a high-to-low laser from the right alley for a 3-0 lead.

After the hosts scratched out their first tally, CNU fired back with a lethal seven-goal surge over the next eight minutes. Carving up the Owls, Kate Webb dished out a pair of assists during that streak, including a slick give-and-go with Elle Roberts. Meanwhile, O'Connor completed her early hat-trick with two more tallies, including a tracer in transition following a quick clear by Sorkin.

Annabella Burke also snapped off a sidewinder from the right side, while Sorkin connected on back-to-back shots. First, she spun off a screen in the left alley, caught a flip from Webb, and scored down low. Then, less than two minutes later, she backed in from the left wing. After being confronted by a defender, she spun underneath the Owl and jammed a shot through the goalie's legs for a 10-1 advantage.

Just as effective on the defensive end, Chadwick kicked off her afternoon with three early saves, including a hip-high snag along the left post. Meanwhile, O'Connor tied up a defender on a clear attempt and pinned her to the sideline before Roberts rolled in and stole the loose ball. Later, Chadwick slipped out of the crease and pocketed a dangerous bouncer in traffic to help cap off the opening stanza.

In the second quarter, Kenyon found a little rhythm and scored two straight goals before CNU whistled for a timeout. After the stoppage, Christopher Newport's defense put on a clinic while smothering the opposition.

Kicking things off, Kate Lamendola wrestled possession away from an attacker at the top of the zone on Kenyon's ensuing surge. Shortly thereafter, the Captains killed off back-to-back clears. On the first attempt, O'Connor and Roberts cut off an Owl and drove her into the turf. Then, on a second try, Molly Campbell stopped a midfielder in her tracks along the center stripe before Sorkin charged in and helped strip the player with an over-the-head check.

After the hosts finally managed to return to their offensive zone, Christopher Newport added one more highlight. On a free-position attempt, Lamendola and Morrison pinched off the shooter and forced an off-target attempt, which Campbell collected behind the cage.

Following the defensive work, CNU went back on the attack. In less than three minutes, the Captains drove home four consecutive goals. During that window, Page Henry handed out three assists after dishing dimes to O'Connor, Morrison, and Sorkin. O'Connor also chipped in with her fifth strike after dropping in a dart under the crossbar, which helped the visitors steal a 14-4 lead entering halftime.

With a double-digit advantage, Christopher Newport never let the hosts pull any closer. On the defensive side, Megan Rotzler and Emily Snyder double-teamed a midfielder on a failed clear, which resulted in a wild pass that sailed out of bounds along the right sideline. Meanwhile, Morrison and Lexi Larson pressured a shooter into a low-percentage attempt on a free-position try, which Chadwick easily handled between the pipes.

Later in the period, CNU came through with one of the most well-rounded defensive stands of the season. During a lengthy possession by the Owls, Morrison swatted a looping pass out of the sky before Campbell clubbed the ball free from a cutter on the left side. Although the hosts retained control, Snyder and Laci Welch ate a series of dodges in the right alley to prevent a shot before Chadwick snatched a low liner to finish off the series.

Just as effective on the other end of the field, Brooklynn Peterson split two Owls on a run from the right side before scoring from close range. Then, Maddie Lamy dished a pass to Campbell, who skipped a shot through the keeper which helped secure a 16-5 lead entering the final period.

In the fourth quarter, the offense went right back to work. During an early push, Morrison and Drew Stanley ran clearouts on the interior, which gave Lamy enough space to circle in from the right wing and land her third goal of the year. Then, O'Connor muscled a shot through the keeper for her final tally before Lamendola snapped off a step-down screamer from the top of the zone.

With time winding down, Campbell came through with the final exclamation point after driving home a high-to-low rip from the right side.

Meanwhile, on the defensive end, CNU pieced together a shutout over the final 15 minutes. On an initial run by the hosts, Larson and Morrison blanketed a shooter with a tight double-team in the right wing before Sam Manico grabbed possession of an off-target pass, scooted behind the crease, and cleared the ball up the left sideline.

Later in the period, Lamendola deflected a free-position attempt before Campbell and Delaney Sinton joined forces on a fancy sequence during a short-handed situation. Pushing in from the left side, an attacker tried to spin through the pair, but Campbell upended the Owl before Sinton came in over the top and helped blast the ball loose as the player crashed down on the turf.

Then, in the waning moments of regulation, Sinton and Jacqueline Thomas disrupted a cutter and caused a misfire from the interior before Carlie Gownley rode an attacker around the back of the crease to help kill off the clock.

Overall, Christopher Newport held a 36-17 advantage in shots and a 17-15 lead in ground balls. The Captains also controlled 19 of the game's 27 draws. On an individual level, Emilie Shoults secured four draw controls for the victors, while Rotzler picked up a pair. Meanwhile, Campbell, Lamendola, Manico, Morrison, and O'Connor each had at least one takeaway and two ground balls.

CNU will return to action on April 4 with a noon bout at No. 18 Rowan in Glassboro, New Jersey.

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