NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- With a highlight-reel volley in the first minute of the first overtime period, a Christopher Newport senior connection from Emma Ricci to Sarah Smith put the top-ranked Captains ahead for good in a thrilling 1-0 overtime victory against No. 23 Virginia Wesleyan University (17-4-2) on Saturday afternoon. Playing in front of a record crowd, Smith's lucky number 13th career game-winning goal powered the number one team in the nation back to the NCAA Division III National Quarterfinals for the third consecutive year. 

Just two days shy of exactly a year ago, the two regional powers met up in the 2022 NCAA National Quarterfinals on the same field when the Marlins earned a penalty kick shootout victory, 4-3, against the Captains after a scoreless draw. On Saturday, the same two teams again battled to a 0-0 tie after the first 90 minutes, forcing a pair of 10-minute overtime periods, but this time, the home team would not be denied. Redemption came in the form of an early score less than a minute into extra time. 

After Virginia Wesleyan took the kickoff and sent it into the CNU end, the Captains put together a clinical run up field starting with Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year Reanna Slater on a free kick. Slater played the ball short to C2C Rookie of the Year Amy Sidaway, who returned to her veteran center back to get the ball rolling forward. Slater found All-Region midfielder Ellie Cox on the near side and with a cagey move on the ball, quickly turned on her defender before sliding a perfect pass ahead for Hanna Heaton. Heaton drove over midfield and found Smith in the midfield running with her; the fifth-year midfielder took one touch before another excellent pass to catch Clare Davis in stride for a single touch into the corner for Emma Ricci. 

From there, it was a sight Captains fans have become accustomed to seeing for the last three seasons as Ricci made one hesitation move to create space with her defender and a line drive centering pass right across the goal mouth. Smith, who never stopped running down the middle of the field, was unmarked, elevated, and hammered home the volley with her right-foot from inside the six. 

The exciting build was capped by Smith's fifth goal of the season and her 13th career game-winning strike. She moved into sole possession for fourth all-time at CNU in winners despite just three seasons of play in the Royal Blue and White, trailing Emma O'Reilly by just one on the all-time list. Ricci's helper was her third assist of the year and 14th career assist. Seven different CNU players connected on the play without interruption from a Virginia Wesleyan player on a goal that took 24 seconds to create from end line to end line, traveling well over 100 yards. 

From that point, the Captains needed to just hold off a late push by the Marlins and defense was up to the task. Adding to the record-breaking defensive season, the CNU back line earned the team's 18th shutout of the season and lowered the goals-against average to 0.19. Sidaway played the full 110 minutes in her first career overtime victory and locked up her 11th solo shutout. In front of her, Slater and Nyah Savage played full time while Bella DiTommaso and Jackie Stallard shared service from the right back position. Kyleigh Gough was also integral in holding the Marlins to just nine shots in the game. 

The defense nearly buckled on a corner kick early in the second half when Virginia Wesleyan got a well played ball into the box by Alexis Miller. The ball was then stuck in the scrum of more than a dozen feet for 16 seconds as the Marlins tried to connect; Sam Crawford got one on frame, but Cox was there to clear it off the line and then it again got tangled up in a crowd before Adrianna Gunther had an attempt blocked away as CNU escaped the early threat. About eight minutes later, Lexi Soteriou challenged Sidaway with a shot from long distance, but the Captains' keeper easily snared the shot. 

From there, it was all CNU, powering shot after shot against the Virginia Wesleyan defense. Rachel Quigley made seven of her nine saves in the game in the second half as Heaton and Smith peppered her with tries from the field. Cox also unleashed a harrowing bullet that sailed wide right in the 77th minute, but the offense could not get it across the line until Smith's volley in overtime. 

With the win, Christopher Newport has now scored 66 consecutive games without a loss, including the 60th win of head coach Jamie Gunderson's tenure. The Captains are 60-0-6 over the last three years and will be making the team's third straight appearance in the final eight on Sunday. 

The Captains will face Cal Lutheran University (18-1-4) at Captains Field on Sunday, November 19 at 4:30 pm with a berth to the 2023 NCAA Division III National Semifinals in Salem, Va. on the line. The Regals earned a 1-0 win over Hardin-Simmons University in Saturday's second game. Live stats and a live video webcast will be available at CNUsports.com.