MONTCLAIR, N.J. -- The 2023 season came to an end on Sunday night for the Christopher Newport men's soccer team despite a valiant effort against the nation's fifth-ranked team in host Montclair State University in the the NCAA Division III Tournament Second Round. The Captains fell, 3-1, in double overtime despite outshooting the Red Hawks by a margin of nine in the contest. 

Christopher Newport finished out the season with an 11-5-2 overall record including the 50th victory of head coach Justin Chezem's young career with a first round tournament victory over Manhattanville on Saturday night. The Captains have reached the second round in each of his first four seasons as the head coach and boast a 5-3-1 record in NCAA Tournament action. 

On Sunday, the Captains controlled the bulk of the action moving forward and took 24 total shots in the game compared to Montclair State's 15. Facing one of the nation's elite scorers, though, Amer Lukovic recorded a hat trick including two goals in the second overtime period to win the match for the home team. 

Lukovic scored the first goal of the game less than a minute into the second half off an assist by Reed Karsen. It was the first shot on goal the Captains' defense surrendered as Asher Kuzemka, Kyle Stenzel, Jonathon Leiding, and Yazan Yaghmmour locked down Lukovic and the rest of the dangerous Red Hawks attack for the first 45 minutes, holding Montclair State to just two shots in the opening half. 

Facing a 1-0 deficit, the CNU attack continued to press until the 75th minute when the equalizer came through two of the team's leading scorers. Adding to his team-leading assist total, sophomore Barry Jones found the team's leading goal scorer, Mason Field, for the game-tying tally with less than 16 minutes left to play. 

That's where the score would hold until the end of regulation, sending the two teams into overtime procedures with a pair of 10 minute extra periods. Neither team mustered worthy chances in the first overtime, but a foul issued in the first minute of the second overtime allowed Montclair State to get a ball into the box for Lukovic. He elevated for a header that just trickled past Hayden Dewey to give the home team a 2-1 lead. 

Christopher Newport sent everything forward looking to tie the game again and got a couple of nice looks through Elton Quintanilla in the middle. Leiding had one shot blocked and back-to-back corner kicks were stymied by the Red Hawks. Quintanilla found Jones streaking down the right side for what appeared to be an open look in the box, but Montclair State recovered to get a defender between the sophomore midfielder and the goal, ending the CNU threat. Luke Peri also received a pass from Quintanilla for a long-range shot that sailed wide left. 

With everything in the attacking end, the Captains were left susceptible to the counter attack, leading to the third and final goal for Montclair State in the 109th minute. Lukovic tacked on the insurance goal to complete the hat trick and send the Red Hawks into the sectional round. 

Christopher Newport was led by Field with seven total shots while Yaghmmour led the Captains in shots on goal with three. Caleb Jones, Kyle Stenzel, and Miles Maggioncalda all added shots on target for the Captains in the contest, forcing Shane Keenan to make six saves in goal for Montclair State.