NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Returning to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the second straight year, the top-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team capped off an overtime thriller with a remarkable strike in the 63rd minute as Courtney Hughlett found Lindsey Loar for the game-winning blast, which gave the Captains a 2-1 victory over No. 17 Lynchburg on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon at Jennings Family Stadium.

After Hughlett wiggled her way through traffic with a highlight-reel run, the reigning All-American slipped a feed to Loar, who took care of the rest. Sprinting to her right, the junior evaded Lynchburg's goalie before unloading an off-balance blast that spun across the goal line and ended the marathon battle.

Hughlett eventually finished the contest with a pair of assists while rewriting the program record books. Staking her claim as the finest facilitator in Christopher Newport history, the third-year star broke a pair of school records with her work on Saturday. Hughlett's final helper was her 34th career assist, moving her past CNU Hall of Famer Belle Tunstall for the top spot on the program's all-time charts. Meanwhile, her assist on the squad's first goal of the game was her 14th of the season. That eclipsed the previous standard of 13, which Haylie Black set in 2006 before Hughlett equaled last year.

On the receiving end of Hughlett's historic helper in the second quarter, Emily Evans opened the scoring with a bullet off a penalty corner. That was the senior's 30th career goal, making her just the 11th Captain to reach that benchmark.

Adding her own historic footnote, fellow senior Lily Kerr pocketed her 63rd career victory, matching the 11th-highest total in Division III lore. Saturday's game was also Kerr's seventh career start in the NCAA Tournament, equaling the most in program history. She tied former teammates Katie Abendschoen, Brooke Billhimer, and Lainey Pratzner, who all started seven games from 2021-24, while Jordan Snider and current assistant coach Marlene Lichty also had seven starts from 2010-13.

With the victory, Christopher Newport improved to 18-0 and advanced to the Elite Eight for the fourth time in school history. The Captains will square off with No. 5 Salisbury for a spot in the Final Four on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Sea Gulls advanced to the quarterfinals after posting a 5-0 triumph over No. 11 Dickinson in the nightcap of Saturday's twin bill at Jennings Family Stadium.

Deadlocked with Lynchburg at the end of regulation, CNU found itself in familiar territory. After back-to-back overtime battles against York (Pa.) and Salisbury during last year's NCAA Tournament, the Captains faced their third straight marathon in the national playoffs.

More than comfortable in a sudden-death situation, the hosts went right to work in the extra session on Saturday. After an initial run by Ellie Nuckols was bottled up on the baseline, Lynchburg flipped the field, but Christopher Newport's defense was up to the challenge. 

On the back end, Avery Mast went down to her knee to wall off a rush along the end line. Although the attacker pulled back and tried to connect on a centering feed, Courtney Hughlett and Kelly Via stayed in the passing lane to prevent a clean look on the interior. Eventually, the ball trickled through a crowd and settled into the right corner.

Keeping up the pressure, Via deflected a pass before Caroline Hughlett picked off a roller and started a clear. Circling through three Hornets, she raced to midfield before dishing the ball to Nuckols, who bolted into the corner.

Refusing to let the ball cross the center stripe again, Courtney Hughlett intercepted a clear attempt before Nuckols won a physical altercation near the 25 and drew a corner after running through two defenders along the right side of the arc.

On the ensuing play, Courtney Hughlett's shot skipped wide, but she quickly regained possession on a restart. Sliding towards the center of the turf, she faced a double-team at the top of the circle. Unfazed by the tight quarters, Hughlett flashed some magic while weaving through the defense. Backing down the Hornets, she spun through the crowd while slipping the ball between the legs of a defender.

After finding some space, Hughlett tossed the ball to Loar, who found herself one-on-one with the keeper. Pulling to her right, the junior circled around the goalie, who attempted to stunt the surge with a diving stop on the interior. Keeping her wits, Loar simply jumped over the Hornet and blasted a screamer that caught the right post. Incredibly, the ball had just enough torque on it to spin across the goal line by mere inches, which gave CNU a hard-fought 2-1 triumph.

Loar's goal was her 14th of the year, equaling the eighth-highest total in program history. It was also her fifth game-winning strike, which moved her into a tie for third on the school's all-time single-season charts.

Long before the game came to an end, Christopher Newport dominated possession throughout most of the first four quarters. 

Earlier in the opening period, Morgan Shealer helped the hosts steal some quick momentum. Holding her ground near the right sideline during a fast-break by Lynchburg, she shrugged off a violent altercation with a midfielder while taking a charge that resulted in a 10-minute yellow card on the visitors. Playing 11-on-10 for the remainder of the first quarter, CNU bombarded the Hornets with a relentless assault.

With numbers on their side, the Captains earned three corners and unloaded five on-target shots during the latter part of the stanza, but Lynchburg's goalie stoned every attempt. Remarkably, the visitors stemmed the tide and kept the game scoreless entering the second stanza.

After the Hornets returned to full strength, Christopher Newport continued to pressure Lynchburg's back line. Kate Engle unleashed a pair of shots, but her first was stopped by the keeper before her second was swallowed by a defender. Moments later, the freshman shined on the opposite side as she forced an errant pass with pressure along the left sideline to thwart a clear attempt.

Continuing to test Lynchburg's defense, CNU capitalized on its consistent attack while lighting up the scoreboard in the 24th minute. Off a corner, Courtney Hughlett twisted around two Hornets before firing a dart towards the left post. With eyes of its own, the ball bounced past four defenders and skipped under the feet of Via, who elevated on the interior to avoid a foul.

Eventually, the roller found its way to Evans, who redirected it inside the pipe for the game's first goal.

Staring at a deficit, Lynchburg tried to retaliate, but Christopher Newport held firm on the defensive side. Kendall Gibson and Courtney Hughlett broke up a rush along the right baseline before Shealer stepped up during a shorthanded situation. After the hosts were hit with a card, Shealer stole a pass and fought through contact while bullying an attacker in the left corner. Shortly thereafter, she applied pressure to another Hornet next to the left post, which prevented a point-blank shot.

After returning to full strength, Gigi Stephan blanketed an attacker in the corner to stymie a rush before Via added a textbook tackle while pinned to the sideline to win a one-on-one showdown. Then, in the final seconds of the first half, Mast dipped low and blocked a rip from the top of the arc to keep the Hornets off the board.

After the break, Christopher Newport continued to flash its defense. During another shorthanded situation, Loar and Brylee Johnston double-teamed an attacker along the defensive 25 to flip possession. Then, Gibson came through with one of the finest defensive plays of the contest.

Following a failed corner by CNU, Lynchburg had a dangerous breakaway developing alongside the left boundary. From her perch near the middle of the field, Gibson raced over and caught up to the play. Jumping in front of a streaker, she got her stick on the ball and secured possession before getting bounced to the turf, which earned the visitors another yellow card.

Unfortunately, Lynchburg continued to push forward and found an opening in the 40th minute. Off a corner, Kerr put her athleticism on full display. Handling a tough deflection on the interior, she elevated in traffic and knocked down a shot with an acrobatic, out-stretched save. However, the Hornets were able to collect the rebound and turn a second-chance opportunity into the game-tying goal.

Back on even ground entering the fourth quarter, CNU refused to let the visitors keep the momentum. On the back end, Courtney Hughlett snatched a centering feed on an early rush by Lynchburg before Nuckols broke up a play in the right corner. Shortly thereafter, Caroline Hughlett ripped the ball right off the stick of a midfielder at the 25 to stamp out another threat.

Looking to flip the field, Evans and Riley Iasiello barreled down the left sideline. With Lynchburg on its heels, Evans tried to lead Iasiello with an outlet pass, but the ball just crossed the baseline before any damage could be done.

With time winding down, Lynchburg returned to the offensive end, but Mast wrestled the ball away in the right corner before Johnston cleared it up the center of the turf. Moments later, Via grabbed a long hit along the defensive 25 before Christopher Newport's attack went back to work.

Over the final eight minutes of regulation, the Captains generated four corners and launched eight shots. However, three of their attempts were handled by the keeper, while five others were punched away by defenders to keep the game knotted at the end of regulation.

Fortunately, CNU was undeterred. Facing another high-stakes overtime session, Christopher Newport handled the pressure and came out on top to earn a return trip to the Elite Eight.

Overall, the Captains held a 29-3 advantage in shots and a 14-1 edge in corners.

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