BRIDGEWATER, Va. (BC Athletics) – The Bridgewater College field hockey team fell to No. 1 Christopher Newport 4-0 on Wednesday evening.
Score: No. 1 Christopher Newport 4, Bridgewater 0
Records: Bridgewater 4-3, No. 1 CNU 6-0
How It Happened
• The Captains earned the game’s first scoring chance three minutes into the contest on a penalty corner. Rachel Adel was tested, but she was unfazed, making a pair of stops on the CNU. Bridgewater flipped the field a few moments later and earned a penalty corner of its own in the sixth minute. Casey Grell was able to corral the pass from Lexi Francis on the restart and got a shot off, but it was turned away by Fallen in the crease for CNU. The Captains got on the board with under five minutes to play in the period as a pass to the crease was sent to the back of the net by C. Hughlett to make it 1-0 for CNU. The nation’s No. 1 team had one more chance in the closing stages of the frame, but the penalty corner did not result in a shot.
• CNU fired a shot in the opening two minutes of the second quarter, but it was blocked. The Captains kept pushing as they earned a trio of corners in a row, but the BC defense didn’t waver, including a save by Adel to keep it at a one-goal gap. BC had a chance of its own with under four minutes to play in the half, but the penalty corner did not result in a shot. CNU flipped the field and scored on a similar play once again as Loar fired a pass from C. Hughlett to the back of the net to make it 2-0 heading into the half.
• The Captains got on the board to open the third frame. A penalty corner three minutes in led to a shot by Via that found the back of the net on a dish from C. Hughlett, making it 3-0. C. Hughlett added to the lead again a few moments later as her pass took an awkward deflection and found the back of the net to make it 4-0 for the No. 1 team in the NFHCA Poll. CNU wasn’t done there as it kept pushing. BC blocked a pair of Captain shots, and Thaleia Kahder turned one away just before the end of the period.
• Both sides jockeyed for possession over the opening five minutes of the fourth quarter, and it was CNU with the first scoring opportunity of the frame. BC blocked a Captains’ shot, and Khader turned another away. CNU pushed again, and Khader answered the call once more with another save with under three minutes to play. The Eagles flipped the field, and Lexi Francis was one-on-one in the scoring area late. She was taken down from behind as her shot was blocked on its way to the cage with under a minute to play, securing the CNU victory.
Game Notes
• Grell and Francis had BC’s two official shots. Adel and Khader each made three saves in the cage for the Eagles.
• Courtney Hughlett had a goal and an assist for CNU, while Caroline Hughlett added a pair of assists. Fallen made a save on the lone shot she faced on the night.
• CNU held an 18-2 edge in shots and an 11-2 advantage in penalty corners.
Up Next
The Eagles start a three-game road swing at Meredith on Saturday.
— BC Athletics —
