The Christopher Newport University (CNU) women’s field hockey team wasted no time making a statement in their home matchup against Virginia Wesleyan, earning a decisive 7-0 victory on Tuesday, Sept. 10. The Captains combined disciplined structure with explosive offense, leaving no doubt about their No. 4 national ranking and why they are hungry to climb even higher.
Senior midfielder Emily Evans broke the deadlock early with a poised finish in the first quarter, assisted by Riley Iasiello. Head coach Carrie Moura praised Evans’ leadership in setting the tone for the night. “I am always happy for senior leadership to open up the scoring for the first game. Even though it was frustrating not scoring as much as we could have in the opening quarter, the pieces were coming together at the end so it balanced out,” Moura said.
Despite an incredible 11 saves from Virginia Wesleyan’s goalkeeper in the first quarter, the Captains
stayed patient and kept creating chances. That perseverance paid off in the second quarter when junior
midfielder Ellie Nuckols delivered back-to-back goals to extend the lead to 3-0. Nuckols credited her
team’s ability to stay focused despite the early challenges. “Despite the amount of saves, we talked about
stretching the field to create more opportunities. We knew we could do better than just being up 1-0 after
the first quarter,” Nuckols said.
CNU returned from halftime determined to finish the job. Moura explained that Virginia Wesleyan’s
defensive adjustments forced her team to think strategically.
“They were catching on to what we were doing in the middle, so we packed it in a little more and tried to maximize our shooting opportunities,” she said.
That shift worked perfectly as the Captains piled on four more goals in the second half. Courtney Hughlett added to the scoring barrage with a strike in the third quarter before Iasiello and sophomore attacker Kelly Via connected for two more goals in the fourth. Via’s goal was assisted by Hughlett, showcasing the team’s chemistry and unselfish play. Freshman midfielder Mari de Castro put the exclamation point on the game by scoring the seventh and final goal off an assist from Victoria Trejo, a moment that drew cheers from the home crowd.
When asked about her team’s second-half dominance, Moura’s pride was clear.
“Simply put, they are awesome and they remind me of why we should keep climbing from No. 4 to No. 1,” she said.
She also credited the team for adapting quickly and staying aggressive until the final whistle.
Nuckols, who scored twice in the win, left fans with a confident message before the team’s upcoming trip
to Ohio.
“Expect more goals. We are going to take the trip seriously and bring back good news,” she
promised.
The win over Virginia Wesleyan was not just a dominant performance on the scoreboard, but also an
example of the Captains’ ability to solve problems on the field, stay patient under pressure, and execute in
big moments. With contributions from veterans and newcomers alike, the Captains continue to prove why
they are among the nation’s elite and why they have their sights set on being the very best.
