LYNCHBURG, Va. -- For the first 89 minutes, two of the region's top-ranked programs tussled in a gritty, hard-fought scoreless battle as the 22nd-ranked Christopher Newport men's soccer team took on the host University of Lynchburg Hornets in non-conference action. Then, in a sudden burst of offensive fireworks, both teams scored in thrilling fashion, including a blistering buzzer-beating equalizer for the Captains off the foot of Cory Hogge with just five seconds remaining to force overtime. 

The score remained knotted at 1-1 after both overtime periods and the match finished in a draw as the Captains record ran to 1-0-2 while Lynchburg is now 2-0-1 on the young season. 

In the 90th minute, Lynchburg celebrated with a last-minute goal that looked destined to win the match after a loose ball in the box after a corner kick squirted to the left for an open look by Nick Foley. The Hornets' defender scored after a corner kick when a shot from the top of the box by Manzi Shalita trickled off a CNU defender to the waiting leg of Foley. His shot was true with just 45 seconds remaining, spelling almost certain disaster for the Captains. 

On the ensuing kickoff, however, the Christopher Newport attack was unrelenting, sending nine players into the attacking third searching for the equalizer. After a first attempt was corraled by the Lynchburg goalkeeper, Kyle Gallagher, his punt was trapped back into the Captains possession. With seconds rapidly ticking off the clock, a last-ditch run was started by the center of the Captains lineup. 

Owen Burnett started the play when he reached a loose ball and played a pass into the corner for defender Jonathon Leiding. Leiding made a hard run in desperation time and lifted a cross into the middle of the box which bounded off a defender to the head of senior Will Collins. Collins nearly equalized with a hard header off the left post, drawing Gallagher to that side of the goalmouth. The ball ricocheted to the center of the box where Hogge got the first touch, ripping a left-footed laser off the hands of the diving goalkeeper into the left side of the goal. 

With just five ticks of the clock left in regulation, the Captains bench erupted in celebration as the senior midfielder sent home his first goal of the season. 

The high-energy finish carried over into the overtime period but neither team was able to convert on their chances. In the second OT, Chris Schram just missed wide right on a rocketed shot from inside the box, and in the first, Collins had another hard shot fly just wide left. On the other end, Luke Mega tested the Captains goalkeeper, Cole Irvin, with an open look from the left side, but his right-footed shot was snared with ease. 

Christopher Newport held a 15-8 advantage in total shots in the contest with a 5-3 lead in shots on-goal. Davis Pillow and Clark Chapman were charged with locking down the dangerous Hornets attack in the middle of the field and held Brennan Lagana and Kenny Robles to just two shots combined in the contest. Senior Daniel Hulett, junior Jacob Dudley, and Leiding also helped lead the tremendous defensive showing for CNU. 

With the tie, the Captains are now unbeaten in ten straight games dating back to the 2019 season.

Christopher Newport returns to action on Saturday, September 11 as they take on Methodist University in the Roanoke Invitational. Kickoff is slated for 4:00 pm for the neutral site matchup.