NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Engaging in a back-and-forth battle over 60 minutes of exciting action, the 17th-ranked Christopher Newport men's lacrosse team came up just short against No. 2 York (Pa.), 15-11, during a Capital Athletic Conference slugfest on a scorching Saturday afternoon at Captains Turf Field.
 
Fighting for playoff positioning, both teams held a lead in the second half, but the Spartans used a fourth-quarter surge to inch away at the end of regulation. Celebrating Senior Day in style, Matthew Crist contributed his eighth hat-trick of the season, while Jake O'Connell collected five ground balls, forced three turnovers, and chipped in with an assist.
 
Along with the veterans, the Captains put their youth on full display as well. Freshman Will Stockhausen led Christopher Newport with four points, while Jackson Deal added three. Meanwhile, Dylan Rice established a new single-season freshman record for goals after snapping off a pair against the Spartans. The first-year sensation now has 39 strikes this season, which breaks the previous record of 37 set by Britt Hoover in 2010.
 
In addition to the offensive heroes, Scott McAneney put together another tremendous performance between the pipes. The second-year standout posted 12 saves, which marked his second straight double-digit effort.
 
With the setback, Christopher Newport falls to 12-3 on the season, including 5-2 in league action. York (Pa.) is now 13-1 with a 5-0 mark in CAC play.
 
Early in the contest, the Spartans jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead before the Captains responded with a highlight-reel effort. After McAneney made a save to thwart a YCP rally, CNU faced a 10-man ride. With nowhere to pass the ball, Drew Cornell decided to launch a 75-yard shot. Showing pinpoint precision, the junior defenseman converted the long-range heave, skipping a strike into the back of the net to even the score at one.
 
Firing back, the Spartans shrugged off the goal and strung together four tallies of their own to steal a 5-1 lead with four minutes remaining in the opening quarter.
 
Needing to regain their rhythm, the hosts retaliated after earning a man-up situation with three minutes left in the first. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the Captains methodically moved the ball around the YCP defense, looking to pounce. Finally, Deal skipped a pass inside to Crist, who finished on the interior to cut the deficit back down to three.
 
Trading blows, York answered two minutes later before the squads alternated the first four goals in the second period. Not surprisingly, Crist was at the center of CNU's first two tallies in the new stanza. Kicking things off, he battled through contact and slipped underneath a defender before sniping his second goal. Later, he and Phoenix Hines double-teamed a Spartan, who was attempting to clear the zone. Forcing a turnover, Crist grabbed the ground ball and found O'Connell, who connected with Rice during an odd-man rush for the squad's fourth goal.
 
Although the Captains still found themselves trailing 8-4 midway through the second quarter, the hosts finished off the period in style. With five minutes remaining, Stockhausen was isolated on a long-pole defender. Unfazed, he dropped his shoulder, barreled through the Spartan, and cranked his first goal on the far side of the field.
 
Three minutes later, Stockhausen came back for more. The freshman threaded a feed through a pair of defenders. On the other end, Crist caught the pass on a dead sprint and converted on the run to pull within two at 8-6.
 
With the momentum firmly on Christopher Newport's sideline, the CNU defense also took advantage. Looking to stretch their lead, the Spartans attempted a late rally but ran headfirst into the Captains. The hosts blanketed the field in the final two minutes of the first half. Eventually, Christopher Albright dropped an attacker on the near side of the field before Cornell snatched the ground ball and gave the offense one final opportunity.
 
With less than a minute left in the second quarter, Drew Magnusson caught the Spartans in a double team. Looking for the free man, he fed back to Lucas Barry, who slipped into the opening. With a clear lane, Barry found Deal on the inside as the freshman went top shelf to cut the deficit down to one entering halftime.
 
Following the break, the Captains continued to roll. McAneney walled off the crease with back-to-back saves before his offense went to work. Four minutes into the second half, Stockhausen found Rice, who darted through the defense on the way to his second goal, which knotted the game at eight.
 
On the defensive side of the field, Hines tormented an attacker and ripped the ball away from the Spartans with a great check to give the offense an opportunity to break the deadlock. Taking advantage on the other end, Shane McKenna drew a pair of defenders away from the center of the field. With some free space, Spencer Shipman filled the void and grabbed a feed from McKenna. Before a pair of Spartans could close out on the sophomore, Shipman unleashed a rocket from deep to grab a 9-8 lead.
 
Unfortunately, moments later, York ended Christopher Newport's five-goal run. The Spartans stole back some momentum and leveled the score at nine just before the end of the third quarter.
 
Ready for a war in the final stanza, both teams dug in. First, on the defensive end, Miles Collins rode an attacker and forced a pass. After the feed, O'Connell lowered the boom and drilled another Spartan with a bruising hit that caused an early turnover. Later, on York's second trip to the offensive zone, McAneney got a piece of a shot before Cornell grabbed another ground ball and cleared the field.
 
Sadly, the visitors continued to pressure. Eventually, their persistence paid off as the Spartans tossed four straight goals on the board during a six-minute surge that gave the squad a 13-9 advantage.
 
Refusing to go down quietly, Cornell and Will Cogan stripped a pair of Spartans, while Max Wayne grabbed a loose ball and helped jumpstart a clear with less than two minutes remaining in regulation. Taking advantage, Magnusson found Stockhausen, who uncorked a screamer for his second strike. Later, Tony Cruz won a faceoff and Conor James flashed incredible awareness with an over-the-head, no-look pass to Collins. Needing to act quickly, the freshman scorched the turf on a sprint up the field before landing a dagger to pull back within three at 14-11.
 
Unfortunately, that was as close as CNU would get. York eventually tacked on one last tally with 30 seconds remaining to lock up the 15-11 victory.
 
Overall, the Spartans held a 34-29 advantage in shots and a 35-33 lead in ground balls. York also won 17 of the game's 30 faceoffs, although Cruz won 11 of his 22 battles. Freshman Tyler Iriondo also did yeoman's work and won two faceoffs of his own to give Cruz a breather.
 
Along with O'Connell's big day on defense, Cogan and Hines also forced a pair of turnovers, while Cornell collected five ground balls to go along with his highlight-reel goal.
 
Christopher Newport will return to action next Saturday when the squad travels to Wesley for the regular season finale at 1 p.m.
 
---CNU---