NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- With no time left on the clock in the final overtime period, Centre capitalized on a corner after the final horn sounded to stun the 17th-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team as the Captains dropped a hard-fought 2-1 decision during a double-overtime marathon on a sunny Wednesday afternoon during the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Jennings Family Stadium.

After earning a corner with two seconds left in the second overtime, Centre was able to finish off one final play after the horn sounded. In the 80th minute, the Colonels capitalized on their 11th corner of the contest to steal the thrilling 2-1 victory.

Piecing together a valiant effort during the battle, Marcella Sabbagh scored Christopher Newport's lone goal after driving home the equalizer off a penalty stroke with three minutes left in regulation. That marked her fourth stroke of the season, tying former standout Sarah Wister for the most in program history. Wister also converted four during the 2010 campaign.

Meanwhile, Gabi Gray notched six saves during the contest. That total equaled the most by a Captain in an NCAA Tournament bout since Jamie Dowling posted nine stops during the second round of the 2012 playoffs.

With the setback, Christopher Newport wrapped up the year with an 11-6 record. The victory bumped Centre to 15-3 and propelled the Colonels into the second round of the tournament, which will be held on Saturday at Johns Hopkins.

Entering the final seven minutes of regulation in a scoreless deadlock, Centre broke through in the 54th minute to snatch a 1-0 lead. With their backs against the wall, the Captains orchestrated a response.

Although the Colonels gained possession on their defensive end and tried to crack the ball up the right sideline, Sabbagh picked it off before Nyla Lewis threaded a pinpoint, 40-yard pass through six defenders. The ball eventually settled on the stick of Mauri Ware, who quickly weaved her way into the circle before drawing a stroke after a defender dropped her to the turf with an illegal hit on the interior.

Needing to convert, Christopher Newport turned to Sabbagh. From the seven-yard dot, the junior whistled a one-timer into the left corner of the cage to knot the score at one with three minutes left on the clock.

Looking to end the contest in regulation, Ware quickly burst back into the circle and fired a knuckler that handcuffed a defender and drew a corner. Although her ensuing rip along the left post was turned aside by Centre's keeper, the Captains earned another corner just a few seconds later.

Unfortunately, on the play, Sabbagh's shot was intercepted by a defender, who eventually cleared the zone and ran out the final few minutes of regulation.

In the first overtime period, Christopher Newport nearly ended the contest in the 61st minute, but Abby Asuncion's blast caught the right pipe, while Sabbagh's rebound was kicked away by the goalie. Meanwhile, on the other end, Izzy Diz won a race for a bouncer that slipped inside the circle before curling around two attackers to cut off the threat and vacate the area.

Later, Sabbagh intercepted a pass at midfield and fed the ball to Ware, who scooted inside the arc and earned a corner in the 63rd minute. Unfortunately, Brooke Billhimer's blast was stoned by a sprawling save, while Sabbagh's follow-up attempt flew over the crossbar.

Keeping the ball on the offensive side of the field, Katie Abendschoen helped force an errant pass along the right sideline, while Lewis grabbed a roller near the 25. Later, Diz clamped down on Centre's longest rally along the edge of the arc before motoring down the field to jumpstart another offensive surge.

Sadly, the visitors continued to hold up against the pressure. A centering pass by Asuncion was bottled up by a defender, while she and Sabbagh had shots trickle wide as the two teams remained deadlocked after 70 minutes of action.

Continuing the squad's assault in the second overtime period, Maddison Steele broke the ankles of a defender and unloaded a screamer from the top of the circle, but Centre's goalie made another diving stop. Although Sabbagh won a corner off the deflection, Asuncion's rocket just missed the right pipe.

After surviving Christopher Newport's relentless attack, Centre picked up the pressure over the latter part of the period. Early on, Billhimer won a race for a loose ball in the circle, while Abendschoen blanketed an attacker and forced an off-target pass, which Diz gobbled up. Later, in the 79th minute, the Colonels began to close in.

On the visitor's first corner of the second overtime, Gray came bursting out of the cage and stopped a shot on the right side of the zone. Later, Centre earned two more attempts, but the team's ensuing shots were blocked by the defense, including a great play by Diz on the left side of the circle.

Unfortunately, the attack continued. Although Gray made a nice save with her pad on a push along the left pipe, Centre picked up a corner after corralling the rebound. With just two ticks left on the clock, the squad was able to finish off the corner after the final horn sounded. Sadly for the Captains, the visitors found an opening as Megan Coomes inserted the ball to Maran Lee, who unloaded a scorcher from the left side of the arc to polish off the victory.

Overall, Christopher Newport held a 23-19 advantage in shots, while Centre had an 11-8 edge in corners. Along with Gray's six saves for the Captains, Sienna Joseph came through with 10 stops for the Colonels.

Long before the score was settled in the second overtime, both teams had opportunities to break through in regulation. In the first quarter, Gray brushed aside Centre's first on-target rip, while Diz blocked an insertion at the top of the circle and stole another pass just a few moments later.

On the other end, Lewis squeezed a pass through Centre's defense in the 10th minute, but Morgan Arthur's shot just missed the left post. Less than a minute later, the junior had another try from inside the circle, but the goalie was able to make a save with her pads at the last possible moment as the two teams ended the first quarter in a scoreless tie.

Entering the second stanza, the visitors found their rhythm and tested Christopher Newport's defensive unit. Standing tall against the onslaught, Billhimer picked off an early pass, while Gray made a kick save before Vivian Pope escorted the ricochet out of the circle in the 10th minute. Shortly thereafter, a dangerous roller slipped down the field with a Centre attacker in hot pursuit. Alone on the back end, Gray came rushing out of the cage and beat the Colonel to the ball before kicking it out of harm's way.

Still pushing, Centre secured two corners in the latter half of the second period. Refusing to break, Asuncion was magnificent on both attempts. On the first try, she came flying out and blocked the shot. Then, on the second corner, she was glued to the hip of an attacker, prevented a cutback, and forced an off-balance pass, which Lewis quickly grabbed to help close out the second period.

After halftime, the two teams traded rallies early in the third quarter. Christopher Newport earned a corner in the 35th minute, but Sabbagh's shot was deflected by a defender. Moments later, Centre secured their own attempt and rocketed the ball inside, but Diz dropped to her knees along the left post and prevented any damage before Lewis cleared the circle.

Following the early attack, the Captains picked up another corner late in the period after Steele bullied her way towards the cage. On the play, Emma Logue punched a perfect insertion to Lewis at the top of the arc. After the ball slipped inside, Asuncion had a look, while Logue nearly capitalized on a deflection along the left pipe, but the ball just spun over the end line.

Still scoreless entering the fourth quarter, Centre had three early shots, but one bounced wide, while Asuncion and Lewis blocked the subsequent attempts. Responding on the other end, the Captains fired back with four shots of their own, but Lewis had an on-target blast turned away by the goalie, while the three other tries trickled wide.

Continuing the seesaw affair, the Colonels shot back on the other end, but Diz won a one-on-one battle along the right post, Billhimer knocked a bouncer out of the circle, Lainey Pratzner deflected a pass along the 25, and Sabbagh swallowed up a run on the left sideline.

Unfortunately, Centre eventually broke through in the 54th minute. Although Sabbagh's stroke leveled the playing field just moments later, the Colonels eventually struck again in the second overtime to secure the marathon victory.

Although the 2021 campaign came to an end on Wednesday, the postseason tilt served as a showcase for the program's future. During the contest, Christopher Newport started four freshmen, marking the first time in school history that four first-year competitors started the same postseason contest. Overall, the Captains trotted out a total of 12 underclassmen in the game while facing an opponent that featured seven senior starters, including both goal-scorers.

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