NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Erasing a two-goal deficit in the final 10 minutes of regulation, the Christopher Newport field hockey team put its relentless determination on full display and forced overtime in an epic postseason thriller, but Mary Washington managed to survive in the extra session as the Eagles stole a 3-2 victory during the Capital Athletic Conference semifinals on a warm Wednesday evening at Captains Turf Field.
 
Leading the comeback bid, freshman Calli Ioannou scored the squad's first goal in the 61st minute before assisting on Abby Cryts' equalizer in the 68th. Unfortunately, despite a seven-save showcase by Bailey Lien and a gutsy performance by the other Captains, Mary Washington retaliated in overtime to advance to the CAC championship game.
 
With the setback, Christopher Newport falls to 14-5 on the season. The victory bumps the Eagles to 12-5.
 
After Mary Washington slipped out to a 2-0 lead in the 52nd minute, the Captains showed incredible resolve and began battling back. Leaving everything on the field, the CNU offense went to work and began peppering the Mary Washington defense looking to chip away at the deficit.
 
With 12 minutes left in regulation, Rachael Allshouse worked her way into the near corner and ripped a centering feed through the circle that just missed connecting with a stick. Shortly thereafter, Madison Doss gained control and battled a defender to earn a corner before Mackenzie Neylon earned a second one after bursting into the circle with 10 minutes left.
 
Although the Eagles handled both corner attempts, CNU never left the zone. Eventually, Rachel Cooke took control just outside of the circle and slammed a dart towards the cage. Showing great instincts, Ioannou burst through the defense and deflected the screamer just enough to send it spiraling into the back of the cage with just over nine minutes remaining.
 
With more work left to do, Christopher Newport called a timeout before settling in for one last run. First, the defense regained possession. Alexa Weaver broke up a run off the restart along the far side of the field. Moments later, after Mary Washington attempted to clear, Sarah Miller picked off the long roller at midfield, spun it through the legs of a defender, and returned it to the offensive zone to keep the pressure on.
 
Looking to capitalize on the possession, the Captains earned three straight corners. Although the first two were brushed aside by the Eagles, CNU finally struck on the third attempt. After grabbing control at the top of the circle, Ioannou blistered a laser towards the cage. Once again, the hosts used a nice touch to complete the play as Cryts punched it into the air and over the defense for the equalizer with less than three minutes left.
 
With their lead evaporated, the visitors tried to respond but ran into a wall. First, Brittan Muir made a great tackle at the top of the circle to slow down an initial surge. Later, the squad got the ball into the circle, but Lien went to the turf and stoned back-to-back attempts from pointblank range to end the threat with a minute left in regulation.
 
After surviving the scare, Ioannou turned on the jets and won a sprint into the circle to earn a corner on the other side of the field as the final seconds ticked off the clock. With one last opportunity before overtime, Cooke slapped a shot towards the cage, but Mary Washington's Jessica Cavolt managed to kick it away to keep the game deadlocked.
 
In overtime, Christopher Newport pieced together the first scoring opportunity. After an initial shot was blocked, Cooke picked off a Mary Washington pass and dished the ball to Allshouse, who came through with a great possession. The sophomore broke down a defender at the top of the circle, backed towards the end line, and showed spectacular stick skills to keep control before earning a corner.
 
Although UMW handled the corner, CNU kept the pressure on. Muir broke up a clearing attempt before Allshouse stormed back into the circle and got off a shot, but Cavolt made another save to end the rally.
 
After quieting the Captains' attack, Mary Washington roared back on the other side of the field. Lien made a stop on the visitors' opening run before UMW earned a string of corners. On the first attempt, Cooke came out of the cage and absolutely badgered an attacker with a breathtaking stand before Weaver knocked the ball out of the circle. Later, Muir came sprinting across the zone to clean up a shot along the near post before Lien closed the door on another dagger in the 80th minute.
 
Unfortunately, the Eagles refused to leave the zone. With pressure mounting, the visitors eventually punched the ball into the circle before Morgan LaRowe capitalized on a deflection and snuck the game-winner into the cage to cap off the thrilling slugfest.
 
Overall, Christopher Newport held a 22-14 edge in shots and a 16-9 lead in corners. Despite the statistical discrepancies, Cavolt came through with 10 saves for Mary Washington to keep CNU at bay long enough to seal the win.
 
Although both offenses found their rhythm late in the game, the defenses were the story early on. In the first half, Muir swatted down a rainbow at midfield, while Ioannou broke up a pass at the top of the arc. Later, after Mary Washington earned three straight corners in the ninth minute, Weaver broke up the first two attempts before Lien stoned the third.
 
On the other side, Allshouse crushed a shot that whistled wide before Doss slammed a ball into the circle, but the deflection just missed the post. Although the Eagles attempted to clear the zone, Muir stepped up and won a bruising battle with a pair of midfielders along the near sideline to keep possession in the 14th minute. Shortly thereafter, Christopher Newport earned two corners and nearly converted the second after Neylon dropped a defender with a devastating move, but her ensuing shot was kicked away.
 
Firing back after the defensive stand, Mary Washington laced a long roller into the zone, which Lien had to kick away. After the visitors earned a corner, Muir cleaned up the garbage along the near post, and Weaver clamped down on the far side before lofting a teardrop over the defense to flip the field.
 
With 13 minutes left into the opening period, Allshouse burned a path into the circle before Carol Thompson deflected the ball, but it just dribbled wide. Moments later, Allshouse backhanded a shot off a corner, while Cooke and Thompson punched two straight attempts, but all three were turned away. Refusing to back down, Cooke retained possession after fighting two defenders for the ball before Doss unleashed a no-look feed to Josie Morgan, who had her run cut off by the Mary Washington midfield unit.
 
Unfortunately, after surviving the ferocious rally by Christopher Newport, UMW had a response. Just five minutes before the end of the first half, LaRowe managed to wiggle free for the visitors on a breakaway to open the scoring.
 
Staring at a deficit, the Captains picked up the attack early in the second half. Kicking things off, Ioannou broke down three defenders before snapping off a shot that Mary Washington's goalie batted down. Later, the freshman got a rebound and poked another attempt towards the cage, but the ball spun wide.
 
Continuing to pressure the visitors, Cryts bullied her way along the end line and into the circle before having a pair of opportunities on the doorstep, but her first was shut down before her second earned a corner that was handled as well.
 
Once again, after Christopher Newport's offensive showing, Mary Washington fought back and eventually converted a corner into the game's second goal in the 52nd minute. Despite the deficit, the Captains never relented and showed incredible heart to erase UMW's two-goal lead and force overtime. Unfortunately, the Eagles were able to strike one last time to end the marathon in the 81st minute.
 
---CNU---