Christopher Newport University

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Unfazed by the effects of a nor'easter, Ella Fallen weathered the storm and pieced together the finest performance of her career while establishing a new personal standard with 12 saves, but the top-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team could not quite capitalize on those efforts as No. 6 Middlebury survived an overtime thriller and walked away with a 1-0 victory on Sunday afternoon at Harvard's Berylson Field.

Playing through a steady rain and a driving windstorm that forced the postponement or cancellation of nearly 20 collegiate field hockey games over the weekend, Fallen handled the elements and stood tall between the pipes. During 70 minutes of non-stop action, the senior posted a highlight-reel performance while notching a dozen saves, which equaled the sum total of her efforts from the first seven games of the season.

Overall, she became just the 10th Captain in school history to register at least 12 saves against a nationally-ranked opponent.

Quieting Middlebury's potent attack, Fallen recorded three saves in all four quarters during regulation. Unfortunately, the Panthers were able to survive after they were awarded a penalty stroke with less than a minute remaining in the first overtime period to lock up the victory.

Along with Fallen's work on the back side, Kendall Gibson recorded her eighth career defensive save, while Courtney Hughlett and Avery Mast blocked shots as well.

With the setback, the Captains dropped to 7-1 on the season, while the victory bumped the Panthers to 6-1.

Early in the game, CNU flashed its defense while stepping up against a sustained run by the opposition. On the squad's first offensive push of the period, Courtney Hughlett picked off a pass along the 25 before Gibson stoned a rush along the right edge of the arc. Shortly thereafter, Middlebury collected three straight corners, but the Captains were up to the challenge.

On the first attempt, Ellie Nuckols applied immediate pressure as the flyer, which caused the ensuing blast to cruise past the left post. Then, on the second try, Fallen put on a show. Pushing back against an onslaught, she kicked away an initial shot, swatted a second attempt with her stick, and blocked the final rocket with her left shoulder.

Although the Panthers secured a third corner, Mast sealed off an attacker near the right pipe to prevent a shot before Fallen punted a loose ball away from the cage.

Along with CNU's work on corners, Kelly Via stymied an attacker who tried to bully her way into the circle from the left side before Gibson and Ellen Gallagher teamed up on a successful double-team along the right baseline. Then, Mast came back with a fantastic strip at the top of the arc to thwart the Panthers' final push of the period.

Following the defensive stand, Christopher Newport's attack nearly found an opening in the last minute of the frame. Putting a defender in a blender, Courtney Hughlett circled around a Panther at the 25 before sending a pass to Lindsey Loar. At the top of the arc, the senior All-American cut to her left, shook two defenders, and drew the goalie out of the cage. Unfortunately, her shot just missed landing inside the left post.

Back on the defensive side in the second quarter, CNU brushed aside several runs by the Panthers. Fallen made a phenomenal pad save on a redirect from the interior before kicking away another shot from the top of the arc. Later, she went down to a knee and stoned a point-blank missile before escorting a follow-up attempt out of the zone.

In addition to Fallen's efforts, Courtney Hughlett gobbled up a dangerous bouncer that skipped free in the middle of the circle before Gigi Stephan stayed on the hip of a shooter and prevented her from collecting a pass on the left side of the arc. Later, in transition, Hughlett shrugged off a violent confrontation with an attacker and sent a long hit spinning down the field. Sprinting past the defense, Riley Iasiello tried to track it down, but the senior just ran out of real estate as the ball spun over the baseline.

Later in the first half, Gibson put on a clinic. She blocked a turnaround attempt on the interior before making a great play to secure an aerial along the right sideline that prevented a 2-on-1 breakaway from developing. Then, in the waning moments, Calli Martin and Ellie Kidd broke up passes near midfield, while Kate Engle cut off a surge up the right boundary, which forced the Panthers to retreat and kept the game scoreless entering halftime.

Following the break, Middlebury orchestrated a threatening rally early in the third quarter, but Christopher Newport was up to the challenge. On a corner attempt, Courtney Hughlett blocked an initial shot before Fallen took care of the rest. First, she made a lunging stop on a dart from the top of the circle. Although the Panthers retained possession, the senior regained her footing and stomped out another rocket along the right pipe.

Still marching forward, Middlebury secured a second corner, but Mast got low and blocked a worm-burner on the interior to close down the threat.

After the defensive stand, Christopher Newport nearly struck on the opposite side of the turf. In the 36th minute, Mast forced a turnover at midfield before launching a knuckler into the circle. 

On the inside, Iasiello fought with a defender for positioning in the center of the zone. The ball eventually bounced through the scrum and deflected past the keeper. On the back side, Engle boxed out a second defender and prevented her from making a defensive save along the right post as the ball trickled into the cage.

Although they originally awarded a goal to the Captains, the officials reviewed the play and overturned their ruling after deciding the ball was never touched by an attacker inside the arc.

Moments later, Christopher Newport nearly struck again. This time, Loar stripped a Panther near midfield and fed the ball to Martin. Catching the defense on its heels, Martin quickly redirected the rope to Iasiello, who sent a seed into the circle.

Expecting the ball to spin wide, Middlebury's keeper let it roll through the zone. However, the ball clanked off the right post and remained in play. Speeding towards the cage, Iasiello followed her initial rip, arrived on the scene, and attempted to sling a second-chance opportunity past the goalie, but her efforts were snuffed out on the doorstep.

Later, in the waning moments of the third quarter, Nuckols twirled around a defender and darted inside the zone. Pushing towards the baseline, she threaded a pass to Emma Weber, who was stationed along the right post. Hounded by a defender, the sophomore collected the feed and fired a laser, but Middlebury's keeper made a stop from her knees to keep the game scoreless entering the fourth quarter.

With a fresh 15 minutes on the clock, both squads tried to end the game in regulation. Early on, Middlebury secured a corner, but Gibson sealed off the left post and caused an attempt to sail wide. Later, Mast intercepted a pass inside the circle and lofted it out of harm's way, while Fallen kicked away a stinger from the right side.

Shortly thereafter, Middlebury generated two more corners, but Fallen knocked down a liner on the first attempt before making a slick pad save on the second try. Eventually, Stephan cleaned up the rebound and found Kidd, who bolted up the left sideline to give the defense a breather.

On the other end of the field, the Captains found their footing in the latter half of the fourth quarter. Keeping pressure on Middlebury's defense, Mast picked the pockets of a midfielder along the center stripe, while Loar poked the ball away from an opponent near the right sideline. Then, Martin stripped a Panther at midfield, and Nuckols grabbed possession of a loose ball after Stephan punched it away from a defender.

Looking to capitalize on the sustained possession, Christopher Newport pieced together an assault in the final minute of regulation. Courtney Hughlett sent a screamer through traffic, but Middlebury's goalie made a lunging save. Later, she had another attempt swatted out of the air before Iasiello had a follow-up shot swallowed on the inside.

After 60 minutes of back-and-forth action, both teams settled in for some overtime work. Early in the extra session, Mast pressured an attacker into an errant pass, which Courtney Hughlett intercepted inside the circle. Moments later, Hughlett caused another off-target feed near the right sideline, which handed the ball to the Captains.

Trying to take advantage on the other end of the field, the Hughlett twins teamed up on a pair of looks. In the 64th minute, Courtney Hughlett inched to her left and drew the attention of two Panthers before sliding a pinpoint pass to her sister. Near the right post, Caroline Hughlett avoided a diving defender and ripped a close-range rocket that was blocked by the keeper.

Moments later, along the defensive 25, Caroline Hughlett won a one-on-one duel with a Middlebury attacker. After gaining possession, she sailed a roller up the field. Tracking down the pass, Courtney Hughlett collected the spinner, darted past a Panther at midfield, and pulled around a second defender inside the arc. Although she was eventually confronted by a crowd on the right side of the zone, she turned and whipped a backhand that just spun past the left post.

Then, in the 68th minute, Mast showed tremendous hands to make an outstretched interception on a clear attempt at the 25. After collecting the ball, she unleashed a one-timer from long range. On the interior, Gibson stepped in front of a defender and tried to redirect the bullet, but the ball bounced over the baseline.

Unfortunately, after withstanding CNU's advances, Middlebury had an answer. In the final minute of the first overtime period, an attacker wiggled free and charged towards the cage. Although three Captains closed ranks and slowed down the breakaway, the officials awarded a corner. Then, after a lengthy review, they upgraded the call to a stroke. 

On the ensuing shot, Fallen made a valiant effort with a diving attempt, but the ball snuck into the bottom left corner of the cage and handed Middlebury a hard-fought 1-0 victory.

Overall, the Panthers held a 23-10 advantage in shots and an 8-0 lead in corners.

Christopher Newport will return to action on Wednesday with a 6 p.m. trip to Batten University.

---ISH---