COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Adding her name alongside some of the finest field hockey legends in NCAA history, Christopher Newport standout Lily Kerr was hailed as the NFHCA National Defensive Player of the Week for the third time in her career after starring for the Captains during a pair of top-25 victories last week.

Guiding CNU to wins over No. 3 Salisbury and No. 11 Williams during a challenging five-day stretch, Kerr finished the two-game run with nine total saves while surrendering just a single goal. Playing all 140 minutes between the pipes, she boasted a .900 save percentage and 0.43 goals-against-average.

Kerr's work last week added another chapter to her award-winning tenure with the Captains. She was previously named the National Defensive Player of the Week on October 19, 2022 and October 30, 2024. With her latest accolade, she became the first three-time honoree in Division III history. 

Meanwhile, across all levels of the NCAA, Kerr became just the 15th player to earn the national award three times. In that club, she joined a remarkable list of defensive dynamos, including former Northwestern legend and current USA Field Hockey goalie Annabel Skubisz and North Carolina National Champion Amanda Hendry.

Carving out her spot in the history books, Kerr was tremendous during a pair of high-profile battles last week. On Wednesday, she kicked off her run during a 2-1 double-overtime triumph against No. 3 Salisbury. Against the Sea Gulls, the Edgewater, Maryland native bagged five saves, including a great stop on a bouncer in traffic during a first-quarter surge.

Later in the game, with both teams looking to break a scoreless deadlock, Kerr orchestrated a masterful performance in the fourth frame. Early on, she kicked away a deflection on the doorstep before swallowing a pair of second-chance opportunities with an attacker stationed at her feet. Then, with the score knotted at one, she came through with a diving stop during a one-on-one rally in the 58th minute, which helped force overtime.

Following her late-game heroics against Salisbury, Kerr returned with a four-save masterpiece during a 2-0 win at No. 11 Williams on Sunday. Once again, she started quickly while brushing aside a first-quarter rally by the hosts. With the Ephs flooding the offensive zone, she made a lunging stab to knock away a crosser from connecting with a shooter on the inside.

Later in the game, Kerr chipped in with three more saves after halftime. In the 36th minute, she posted a sliding stop on a bullet from the right side. On the very next surge by Williams, the senior punted a bouncer in the midst of a crowd to keep the Ephs off the board.

Fostering a two-goal lead in the fourth quarter, Kerr wrapped up her week with one final highlight. Flashing her vision, she tracked a long-range rocket through traffic before hitting the turf with a sprawling save on the interior, which polished off the shutout.

Following her performance against the Sea Gulls and Ephs, Kerr kicked off this week with a 1-0 triumph at New Paltz on Tuesday. The win over the Hawks was her 24th career shutout. It was also her 59th victory, equaling the 16th-highest total in Division III history.

So far this season, Kerr ranks second in the NCAA with a 0.38 goals-against-average and 11th with an incredible .857 save percentage. As a team, the Captains sit first in the country with 11 shutouts while featuring the nation's top-ranked scoring defense, which has allowed only 0.34 goals per game.

In her career, Kerr is a two-time All-American and a three-time first-team All-State pick. Her 59 victories and 0.60 goals-against-average rank first among all active goalies in the NCAA, while her .854 save percentage is the fourth-best mark among current keepers.

Kerr and the rest of the Captains will return to action on October 22 when Christopher Newport hosts St. Mary's (Md.) at 6 p.m.

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