NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Piecing together one of the most remarkable performances in program history, senior Mason Bellinger established a new school record with 26 saves and scored the game-tying goal in the third quarter to carry the fourth-ranked Christopher Newport men's lacrosse team to an incredible 12-9 victory over No. 6 Salisbury in the regular season finale on a sun-drenched Saturday afternoon at Jennings Family Stadium.

Suffocating the high-powered Salisbury attack, Bellinger set fire to the history books with a breathtaking showcase. The senior had five saves in the opening period before notching seven in each of the next three stanzas to set the new single-game school record. His 26 total stops broke the previous mark of 25, which was set by former legend Andy McGregor against Stevenson in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on May 8, 2013.

In addition to his work between the pipes, Bellinger also went coast-to-coast for his second career goal in the 33rd minute, which evened the score at eight and kicked off a second-half surge that carried the Captains to the victory.

Equally effective on the defensive end, Mark Davison posted a game-high five caused turnovers, while Ryan Almassian, Brett Kelley, and Rory Keverline had two apiece. Overall, CNU baited Salisbury into 21 turnovers during the 60-minute masterpiece.

On the other side of the field, Fred Fulkerson, Kevin Miller, and Jackson Platner all had three points for the victors. With his performance, Miller made a little history of his own as the junior registered his 161st career assist. That moved him into a tie for the top spot on the program's all-time charts, matching the previous record set by longtime legend Coby Auslander from 2020-24.

With the victory, Christopher Newport improved to 15-2 and locked up the Coastal Lacrosse Conference regular season championship. Meanwhile, the setback dropped Salisbury to 12-3 and snapped the program's 27-game winning streak in games played away from Sea Gull Stadium. That had been the second-longest active road winning streak in the entire NCAA.

After Salisbury stole an 8-7 lead entering halftime, CNU quickly went to work after the break. Kicking things off, Bellinger orchestrated a run for the ages. During a clear attempt by the hosts, the senior took possession of the ball on the defensive side of the field. With a little room, he crossed midfield and barreled through a stick-check by a Sea Gull along the center stripe.

Picking up speed, Bellinger cruised across the restraining line before Salisbury's defense closed in. Eventually, three different defenders clamped down on the goalie, but he danced right through the crowd, kept possession through two more stick-checks, and bounced a bullet into the back of the cage to knot the score at eight.

Back on even ground, CNU never let Salisbury regain the lead. On the defensive side, Bellinger swallowed two straight bouncers along opposite posts. Later, on a fast-break by the visitors, Davison came bolting in from the right corner and body-checked a long-pole with a legal hit that sent the Sea Gull crashing into the crease.

Shortly thereafter, Davison stripped another defenseman on a separate clear attempt before the attack went back to work.

In the 40th minute, Ryan Miller painted the right post with a bullet off a feed from Jude MacLean, which gave the hosts a slim 9-8 lead entering the final stanza.

Looking for a little more breathing room in the fourth quarter, Platner squeezed a blast between the goalie and the left post for a two-goal cushion. Although the Sea Gulls responded less than a minute later, Christopher Newport dug in again.

On the defensive side, Bellinger pocketed a five-hole hammer before Chris Lewis stayed in the face of a shooter while pushing back against a series of dodges at the top of the zone. Eventually, his pressure led to a low-percentage shot from the left wing, which Bellinger quickly corralled.

Following the defensive stand, the attack added another highlight in the 51st minute. Hounded by a defender in the left alley, Levi Wentz shoveled a pass to Fulkerson, who was stationed behind the cage. After securing the pass, the junior bolted around the pipe and elevated along the crease before snapping a seed around the keeper, which locked up an 11-9 lead.

After that point, the defense took control of the contest. On Salisbury's ensuing rush, Colin DeGrassi lowered his shoulder and lifted up a streaker along the crease to force a turnover. Then, Daniel Siaton came through with a trail-check in the right alley, while Jayden Hardnett capped off a successful double-team with a strip behind the cage. Later, AJ Rosacker deflected a looping pass in the center of the zone before Lewis snatched the loose ball.

Entering the final two minutes of regulation, Salisbury caused the Captains to commit a shot-clock violation, but Ryan Miller put an end to the squad's clear attempt. Using every inch of his vertical leap, the freshman phenom intercepted a pass with an out-stretched snag along the right sideline. Then, after killing more clock, he snapped a lefty bouncer around the Sea Gulls' goalie to gain a 12-9 edge with 85 seconds left in regulation.

With a little more work to do, Bellinger took care of the rest. After the ensuing faceoff, he stoned a bouncer from his knees to tie the school record with his 25th save. Then, just moments later, he pocketed a low-to-high heater from the right side to set a new program record and cap off the wild victory.

Fittingly, as Bellinger broke the school's 13-year-old saves record, the man who previously held the mark was in the stadium. In fact, McGregor called each and every one of Bellinger's 26 stops while serving as the lead play-by-play voice on Saturday's broadcast.

Long before the game came to an end, Salisbury jumped out to a quick two-goal lead in the opening period before CNU mounted an early comeback. Kicking off the action, Jackson Shaw dodged a shortie and fired an absolute missile from the right alley before connecting with Jamie Smith on the squad's second goal, which knotted the score at two.

Still rolling along, MacLean buried a shot into the bottom right corner of the cage to secure CNU's first lead of the game. Then, Kevin Miller added back-to-back bullets, including a miraculous play in the 13th minute. After Smith fired a screamer from the top of the zone, Salisbury's goalie made a slick save. However, the ball bounced off the keeper and a defender before spinning back up into the air. 

As the defense attempted to track the ball, Miller spun through the crowd, avoided two Sea Gulls, grabbed the floater, and fired a dart into the back of the cage to notch a 5-2 lead.

Just seconds later, after Almassian stripped Salisbury's faceoff specialist, Platner cut around a short-stick midfielder and ripped a one-timer from the center of the zone before running straight through the chest of a long-pole defender for CNU's sixth straight goal.

Meanwhile, the defense was equally electric in the opening period. Brett Kelley tied up a midfielder and dumped him to the turf on a failed clear along the left sideline. Jed Pellicano also had a quick close-out in the right wing to force an errant pass during a man-down situation, while Davison battled through a screen and deflected a pass in the right wing.

Of course, Bellinger was just as effective in the crease. He opened the contest with a sliding kick save to thwart an early rush by the visitors. Later, he stopped a worm-burner along the right post and brushed aside a quick-hitter from close range. Then, just before the horn sounded, he kept his wits and pocketed a long-range rocket to keep the four-goal lead entering the second stanza. 

Continuing his work with a fresh 15 minutes on the clock, Bellinger made three saves during a single possession by the Sea Gulls. He stoned a shot from his knees along the right post before sliding across the crease and gobbling up a rip from the opposite side. Then, Salisbury attempted a behind-the-back try near the end of the shot-clock, but Bellinger handled that as well.

Unfortunately, the tide began to turn after that. Although Fulkerson connected on a righty rip from the left alley, Salisbury found its rhythm on the offensive side. The Sea Gulls eventually scored six goals in the second stanza, including four in the final three minutes, to snatch an 8-7 lead entering the break.

Despite the momentum shift, CNU never relented. After Bellinger's highlight-reel strike in the third quarter, the Captains regained control of the contest and rolled to the victory.

Overall, Salisbury held a 48-33 advantage in shots and a 39-26 lead in ground balls. The Sea Gulls also won 23 of the game's 24 faceoffs, but Bellinger helped overcome the statistical shortcomings with his 26-save masterclass. Kevin Miller also finished the game with a career-high five ground balls, while Kelley and DeGrassi had four apiece on the defensive side.

With the regular season in the books, Christopher Newport will return to action with the semifinals of the Coastal Lacrosse Conference Tournament, which will be held on April 29. The Captains will open the postseason with a home match-up against the survivor of an opening-round battle between Kean and Mary Washington.

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