NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Making his mark on both ends of the field, Mason Bellinger pieced together a game for the history books while leading the fourth-ranked Christopher Newport men's lacrosse team to an exciting 12-11 victory over Williams on a windy Wednesday evening at Jennings Family Stadium.

Against the Ephs, Bellinger pocketed 11 saves, including three in the fourth quarter, to help keep a lid on the high-powered Williams attack. However, it was the junior goalie's performance on the other side of the field that served as the exclamation point to his highlight-filled day.

Trailing by one entering the fourth quarter, Bellinger went coast-to-coast on a successful clear before landing the equalizer in the 49th minute. With that strike, he became just the second goalie in program history to find the back of the net. Previously, only former All-American Zac Hanway had scored for CNU after capitalizing on a failed 10-man ride against Southern Virginia on March 3, 2021.

Mere moments after posting his first career goal, Bellinger set up the go-ahead strike after finding Daniel Siaton burning down the field on a fast-break. Incredibly, in less than two minutes, the junior goalkeeper recorded a pair of points. Putting that into perspective, no other goalie in program history had ever recorded two points in an entire career.

Following Bellinger's heroics, Williams actually knotted the game in the 52nd minute, but Jamie Smith landed the final blow to seal the come-from-behind victory.

Smith eventually finished the game with four points, including his seventh straight hat-trick. Brett Jackson also landed three strikes for the victors, while Kevin Miller had three assists.

On the defensive side, Christopher Newport baited Williams into 19 turnovers. Leading the way, Ryan Almassian and Jed Pellicano had three takeaways apiece, which established a new career-high for both standouts. Zack Sands, Mark Davison, and Rory Keverline all had two caused turnovers as well.

Among other standouts, Warner Cabaniss won 17 of his 22 faceoffs and snatched 10 ground balls. Grant Giunchi also went 3-for-4 at the dot to help control possession throughout the contest.

With the victory, Christopher Newport improved to 10-1 on the season, while the setback dropped Williams to 2-5.

Staring at a 10-9 deficit entering the fourth quarter, CNU began its comeback. On the defensive end, Jayden Hardnett came through with a violent takeaway check along the left post before Almassian saved the ensuing roller from slipping out of bounds with a diving snag along the sideline. Eventually, Pellicano came up with the ball and handed it to Bellinger.

Taking advantage, the third-year star did the rest by himself. After crossing the center line, he turned on the jets. Blowing past a pair of midfielders, he carved a path straight towards the crease. Although a defender tried to cut off his run on the doorstep, he shrugged off a check while sinking a bouncer from close range to knot the score at 10.

Moments later, after Davison slammed the door on Williams' next rally with a strip in the left alley, Bellinger came back for more. As the Ephs crept towards midfield to prevent him from attempting another coast-to-coast run, he dropped a dime over a crowd to Siaton. With room to work, Siaton burst up the field, switched to his left hand, and launched a laser into the back of the net for an 11-10 lead.

Although the visitors fired back and knotted the game again, CNU responded with six minutes left in regulation. Pushing the tempo, Jackson Platner subbed in, grabbed possession, and sidestepped a defender at the top of the zone. After finding some space, he dished the ball to Smith, who was alone in the left alley. Trying to block the ensuing shot, an Eph elevated in Smith's face, but the junior rifled a one-timer underneath the leaping long-pole to secure another one-goal advantage.

With six minutes left in regulation, the defense closed out the contest in style. First, Siaton drove an attacker into traffic before Colin DeGrassi completed a successful double-team with a strip along the right post. Later, Bellinger stymied back-to-back rallies with clutch saves before Sands stripped another Eph with a takeaway check, which handed the ball back to the attack entering the final 90 seconds of regulation.

Going to work on the clock, the offense took possession and cut over a minute off the game before Williams had a last-ditch clear fall short near the center stripe to close out the contest.

Overall, Christopher Newport held a 45-34 advantage in shots and a 46-23 lead in ground balls. The hosts also won 20 of the game's 26 faceoffs.

Long before Wednesday's epic ending, the two teams traded the first six goals in the opening period. For the Captains, Ethan Slusher set an on-ball pick before snapping off a screamer from the left alley. Later, Miller sank a jump-shot in the center of the zone, while Will Cramp skipped a bouncer to Jackson, who launched a low-to-low laser from long range.

Although the visitors stole a 4-3 lead just before the end of the first quarter, Christopher Newport stepped up with a remarkable defensive performance at the beginning of the second stanza. Bellinger came out of the gates with back-to-back saves before Keverline hammered a ball loose in the left corner. Moments later, Almassian stole possession with a trail-check, while Pellicano intercepted a pass during a fast-break in the middle of the period.

Following the defensive stand, Williams managed to sink a pair of late goals in the first half, but Jackson had an answer. The senior standout added two tallies of his own, including one just before the final horn. After CNU whistled for a timeout with five seconds left in the second quarter, Jackson took possession in the right corner.

Isolated with an Eph, he used his speed to get to the inside shoulder of the defender before sprinting towards the cage. Elevating along the crease, he converted a diving dagger to pull the hosts back within one at 6-5.

After the break, Christopher Newport kept the momentum with an offensive eruption. Adding to the team's highlight reel, Smith was taken to the ground by a defender but unleashed a backhand pass to Platner in traffic. Incredibly, the first-year phenom followed suit and uncorked a backhand shovel shot past the keeper to knot the score at six.

Continuing the assault, Logan Shassian unloaded a missile from deep before Smith came back with a submarine shot to steal an 8-6 lead.

Unfortunately, Williams had an answer. Although Smith landed another goal during a man-up situation, the Ephs collected four late tallies to steal a 10-9 advantage entering the fourth quarter. However, CNU shrugged off the momentary stumble and regrouped in the final frame to polish off the come-from-behind victory.

Christopher Newport will return to action on Saturday when the Captains host Montclair State in the Coastal Lacrosse Conference opener at 2 p.m.

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