Christopher Newport University

Photo Gallery (Courtesy of Sydney Smith)

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- In a performance for the record books, Lindsey Loar collected her second straight hat-trick, while three other Captains also found the back of the cage as the top-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team cruised past No. 11 Messiah, 6-0, on a sun-soaked Saturday afternoon at Jennings Family Stadium.

Against the Falcons, Loar kicked off her afternoon with a dart in the ninth minute before adding single strikes in the second and fourth quarters to close out another epic assault. Her eruption was the program's second all-time hat-trick against a nationally-ranked opponent. Incidentally, Loar also produced the first one after scoring three times against No. 14 Rowan on October 25, 2025. 

Overall, it was her fifth career hat-trick, moving her past former legends Abby Asuncion and Wendy Wilson for the most in program history.

Remarkably, Loar also pitched in with an assist on the squad's fifth goal while finishing with seven total points. That established a new career-high and equaled the seventh-most by any player in school history. It also marked the program's highest output against a top-25 foe.

While Loar was scattering her name throughout the history books, several other standouts also made their presence felt. Caroline Hughlett opened the scoring just 83 seconds into regulation. That was her 10th career game-winning tally, tying CNU Hall of Famer Belle Tunstall for the fourth-most by a Captain.

Defensive juggernauts Kelly Via and Gigi Stephan also joined the fun as both juniors collected their first goal of the year. Meanwhile, Riley Iasiello handed out a pair of helpers, while Calli Martin, Avery Mast, and Emma Weber had one each.

With her assist, Mast notched her 15th career point against a top-25 squad, jumping past Asuncion and current assistant coach Marlene Lichty for the eighth-most in school history. 

In addition to the offensive heroes, CNU continued its defensive domination as well. The team allowed just five total shots during the contest. Of those attempts, three spun wide, Courtney Hughlett blocked one, and Ella Fallen kicked away the only on-target rip of the game.

Adding another layer to Saturday's historic outing, the 6-0 win equaled the most lopsided triumph against a nationally-ranked opponent in program history, matching an identical 6-0 victory against No. 20 Johns Hopkins on September 25, 2011. Meanwhile, the six-goal setback was Messiah's largest loss in over 50 years. A perennial power and former national champion, the program had not lost by six goals since an identical shortfall against Elizabethtown in 1972.

In the end, the victory bumped Christopher Newport to 5-0 on the season, while the setback dropped Messiah to 2-4.

From the very beginning, CNU set the tone with a quick strike in the opening moments of regulation. After Martin picked off a liner on a failed clear by the visitors, Kendall Gibson took a free hit from the left sideline. Stationed near the 25, the senior put her power and precision on full display. Hammering a missile towards the cage, she launched the ball right past six defenders before it landed on Iasiello's stick.

Playing a little tic-tac-toe, Iasiello ramped the ball skyward as Caroline Hughlett cut behind the defense and knocked the spinner out of the air to land the opening blow just 83 seconds into the contest.

Minutes later, the Captains came back for more. On a subsequent surge, Caroline Hughlett threaded a pass to Weber, who was anchored in the left corner. With some room to work, the second-year star found the perfect angle and slammed a dart towards the cage. As Ellen Gallagher screened a defender near the edge of the arc, the ball scooted through traffic, bounced off the keeper, and found its way to Loar.

After collecting the pass, the senior spun to her right and whistled a point-blank bullet underneath the goalie for her first strike of the game.

Meanwhile, Christopher Newport was equally effective on the other side of the field. On Messiah's first rally of the contest, the Falcons generated a corner, but Gibson burst out of the cage and applied pressure at the top of the circle, which caused the ensuing shot to skip past the left post. Later, she came back and broke up a dangerous two-on-one rally in the sixth minute, while Via stole a feed before it connected with an attacker in the center of the circle.

Shortly thereafter, Gibson intercepted another pass near the right post before wiggling her way through traffic to clear the threat. Then, in the waning moments of the opening quarter, she completed her 15-minute masterpiece. On Messiah's final rally of the period, Gibson blanketed a Falcon inside the arc and stopped a deflection from landing anywhere near the cage. 

Still fostering a 2-0 lead early in the second stanza, Christopher Newport went back to work on the offensive end. In the 19th minute, Weber stole a roller from a defender and battled her way through two Falcons along the baseline to earn a corner.

On the ensuing play, Ellie Nuckols sent in a screamer to Via, who collected the insert with a nice backhand stop. Eventually, she flipped the ball to Mast, who drew the attention of the flyer at the top of the circle. Completing a slick give-and-go, Mast slid it back to Via, who elevated a seed from the left side of the zone for her first goal of the season.

Just over two minutes later, the Captains struck again after converting on a fast-break opportunity. Setting up the surge, Stephan took possession at the defensive 25. With a long way to go, she unloaded a laser that handcuffed a Messiah defender on the opposite side of midfield. As the ball trickled free, Iasiello won a race for the rocket while turning on the jets.

Outrunning two Falcons, she found some space in the right corner before tossing a pinpoint pass to Loar, who came cruising down the center of the field. On a dead sprint, the senior All-American found herself in a one-on-one showdown with the goalie. Taking advantage, she pulled to her right and peppered a one-timer off the back of the cage for her second tally of the game.

With momentum firmly planted on CNU's sideline, Messiah tried to respond, but Christopher Newport held up on the defensive side. Nearing the end of the first half, Stephan broke up a bouncer in the center of the circle during a dangerous push by the visitors. Later, Via picked off a pass along the arc, Courtney Hughlett dropped an attacker near the 25, and Nuckols intercepted a rush while stationed between two Falcons on the right sideline.

Later in the period, Gibson got her shoulder into a midfielder to slow down a surge along the opposite boundary, while Courtney Hughlett gobbled up a crosser in front of the cage. Then, in the final moments, Hughlett picked off two more passes along the center stripe before Morgan Shealer grabbed an aerial and killed off the last few seconds with some fancy stick-work in the left corner.

Following the break, Messiah orchestrated an early threat and picked up a corner in the 31st minute. Unfazed by the situation, Courtney Hughlett put on a clinic.

Off the insert, the first-team All-American flashed her wheels and intercepted the ball before it made its way through the circle. Although the visitors eventually regained control, Hughlett stayed close to a shooter and blocked a rip at the top of the arc to prevent any damage. 

Later in the stanza, Messiah secured a second corner and found a little space for an on-target blast, but Fallen quickly slammed the door and punted the shot out of the zone. 

At the same time, CNU's attack never lost its footing. After picking up their own corner, the Captains immediately converted. Stephan inserted the ball to Courtney Hughlett, who pulled around a defender at the top of the arc. Still circling, she spun around another Falcon before whipping a backhand into traffic.

Although the initial shot was stopped by the goalie, Loar ripped the ball off her pads and redirected it to Stephan, who completed what she started with a strike along the left post for her first goal of the year.

Staring at a 5-0 deficit entering the fourth frame, Messiah had a threatening rally in the 50th minute, but Stephan was glued to an attacker in the middle of the zone. Although the Falcon secured a centering feed, Stephan's pressure caused the shot to bounce past the right post.

With little left to prove, Christopher Newport slapped one final goal on the board in the 53rd minute. Following a corner, Ellie Kidd sent the insert to Stephan, who unleashed a long hit from outside the circle. On the interior, the torpedo pin-balled off Loar's stick before Martin settled it down. In control, the freshman punched the ball back to Loar, who cleaned up with a low liner through a crowd for her third goal of the game.

Then, on the defensive end, the Captains made sure to complete the shutout. Caroline Hughlett stripped a Falcon near the 25, while Via blocked a rush in the center of the field. Later, in the final moments, Victoria Trejo knocked down an aerial along the right sideline, Kearney Cunningham intercepted a pass near the circle, and Weber walled off a surge in the right corner to end the festivities.

Overall, Christopher Newport held a 19-5 advantage in shots and a 6-3 lead in penalty corners. Fallen eventually earned the victory for the Captains, while Anna Mosciano polished off the shutout with a pristine fourth quarter.

CNU will return to action on Wednesday when the squad travels to Bridgewater for a 4 p.m. showdown.

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