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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The Christopher Newport women's soccer team captured a marquee victory on Sunday evening in dramatic fashion, defeating the defending NCAA Division III National Champions in overtime, 3-2. With her second goal of the game, rookie Gabby Gillis led CNU (11-3-1) to an upset of fourth-ranked Lynchburg College (15-2-0), handing the Hornets just their third loss in their last 63 games. 

In a competitive and entertaining battle between two regionally-ranked opponents, the Captains not only never folded to the perennial power, but rose up against the nationally-ranked Hornets despite facing a pair of one-goal deficits in the contest. After erasing both deficits, CNU cashed in the gamewinner just 2:22 into the first extra period. 

Right out of the gate, Lynchburg asserted itself with one of the fastest goals of the year, scoring just 30 seconds into the game. Leading scorer Morgan Singer crashed into the box on what looked to be a broken play as CNU goalkeeper Carly Maglio slid to the ball, but Singer's touch got by the sophomore netminder and slid into the goal for the score. 

After the goal, though, CNU pushed back, and had a number of golden opportunities turned away by Lynchburg goalkeeper Tess Frelick. CNU's leading scorer, Victoria Perry was played onsides by Alex Miller in the 17th minute, and looked to chip a shot over Frelick. The junior tracked the shot, leaped and just got her fingertips on the ball to stop the attempt. Then, just three minutes later, Lindsay Mondloch played Perry on again for another one-on-one opportunity, but her low shot was stopped by Frelick again. 

Perry had two more chances on the Lynchburg keeper, who made a career-high six saves in the contest, including another one-on-one chance that Frelick saved out of bounds in the 34th minute. On the ensuing corner kick, Mondloch placed a perfect ball into the box where Gillis leaped and connected on a gorgeous header to tie the game at one. It was Mondloch's sixth assist of the year and Gillis' third goal. 

As time expired in the first half, Lynchburg's Elizabeth Oden launched a 45-yard attempt to try and beat the clock. It was on frame, and Maglio back-pedaled, jumped and pushed the ball up off the crossbar to avoid the go-ahead score before the half. At the break, CNU held a 9-8 edge in total shots, and a 3-1 advantage in corner kicks.

In the second half, the Hornets once again took a one-goal lead in the 59th minute. Emily Maxwell connected on a header that was a mirror image of Gillis' strike, scoring the second goal of the game for Lynchburg off a corner kick by Kennedy Jakubek. The lead wouldn't hold for long, though, as CNU connected on the equalizer just five minutes later. 

Sophomore defender Danielle Pratt took advantage of a restart with a quick throw-in to Victoria Perry beyond the defense near the corner. After a couple steps toward the goal line, Perry slipped a pass central, where rookie Kayla Locklear wrapped her first touch around her defender and into the left side of the goal. It was the first time in 44 games the Lynchburg defense had allowed more than one goal in a game and it sparked the Captains offense back to life. 

Not bowing to the pressure of playing such a formidable opponent, the Captains continued to raise the level as the match went along. Particularly in goal, where Maglio had a sensational second half. The biggest save of the night perhaps came in the 86th minute as Lynchburg looked to win it in regulation. Midfielder Jade Woll dribbled in from the left side and got by a pair of CNU defenders before unleashing a bullet toward the left side. Maglio dove to her right and with fully outstretched arms, pushed the trajectory just enough so the ball would glance off the goalpost and stay out of the net. 

It was her ninth save of the night, just one shy of her career-high 10 notched earlier this season against nationally-ranked Wheaton in a 2-1 overtime loss. This time, Maglio would come out the winner as her offense came through in the first overtime period. 

It was again Danielle Pratt who started the play, throwing in to Victoria Perry on the right side. Perry turned to the goal line and sent a low pass to the middle where junior Allie McWilliams touched the ball past two more defenders. Gillis blitzed through the left side of the box and smashed an shot off the inside of her right foot past the diving Frelick. 

Gillis' connected on her second goal of the game, fourth of the season and a crowd of just under 400 burst into a celebratory frenzy. CNU's three goals matched the total allowed by the Hornets coming into Sunday's contest. Lynchburg had also been exceptional in extra time, suffering their first loss in overtime since the 2011 season, ending a stretch of 12 unbeaten games (5-0-7). 

With the overtime victory, the Captains win streak extends to six with another huge game on the horizon. CNU will host Salisbury University on Wednesday, October 21 at 7:00 pm with live stats and live video available at CNUsports.com/live.