NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- It was deja vu all over again for the Captains. First, in ecstasy as Emma Ricci found Sarah Smith for a near carbon copy goal from the game-winning goal the night before; and then, in agony as the Captains dropped a 4-3 penalty kick shootout for the second straight year in the NCAA Division III National Quarterfinals. On Sunday evening, the Captains played to a 1-1 draw against California Lutheran University (19-1-4) before being eliminated from the tournament in a shootout. 

The gutwrenching finish to another banner season came after the Regals connected on the game-tying goal with just over three minutes left in regulation. Then, a pair of scoreless overtime periods led to the PK shootout. Hanna Heaton, Hannah Calliott, and Kyleigh Gough all found the back of the net in the decisive shootout, and Amy Sidaway made a thrilling save, but the visitors came away with one more make after the first five attempts. 

Christopher Newport closes the book on another unbeaten season under head coach Jamie Gunderson, going 19-0-3 in his third season. The Captains have advanced to the NCAA National Quarterfinals in each of his first three years and CNU is the only Division III program to reach the final eight in each of the last three seasons. 

Early in the game, the Captains controlled the run of play and had two shots cleared off the line in the third minute of action after a corner kick. Corinne Kulik's pass to Emma Ricci was fired on frame but saved, and then Reanna Slater had a second effort that a Cal Lutheran defender was forced to clear away. Late in the first half, the Regals offense pressured Sidaway in goal, including a line drive off the foot of Hana Sawan that was turned away by the rookie goalkeeper with a highlight-reel diving save to her left. 

After a scoreless first half, Christopher Newport came out firing again in the second half. This time, CNU would find the back of the net on the first attempt of the second stanza. Just under three minutes into the half, the veteran connection of Ricci to Smith paid off one more time. After the Captains switched fields through Ellie Cox, it was rookie Bella DiTommaso that played a pass up field for fifth-year midfielder Clare Davis. Davis found Ricci down the right side and the Captains' veteran diced through a pair of Cal Lutheran defenders before crossing into the box for Smith. With a defender closing in, Smith wasted no time with any touches and just unleashed an indefensible bullet into the left side of the goal. 

Her sixth goal of the season was the 26th of her career in 58 career games and she would finish her career with 59 points. She ranks in the top-ten all-time in goals per game with 0.45. 

Cal Lutheran would increase the pressure but settled for long-range shots for the majority of the second half. Sidaway piled up a season-high eight saves in the contest while facing a season-high 13 shots.

As the final minutes waned, the Regals shifted to a three-back system and moved everything forward looking for the equalizer. They earned a late corner kick and Brynn McMahon played the ball into the box. Several players leapt for the header and the ball trickled into the left side of the goal to even the score at 1-1. 

With short time, the Captains increased the level again and nearly came away with the late game-winner moments later. With a minute and 45 seconds showing on the clock, Davis slipped away from a Cal Lutheran chance in the box and found a group of CNU players on the run down the right side. Among them was Ricci and Natalie Swarm -- a heavy touch forced a goal kick, but on the restart, Ricci collected the first ball and sprinted up field. With Heaton to her left and Swarm to her right, Ricci slid a beautiful pass to the senior forward on the right. Swarm lined up a right-footed shot from inside the box, but her attempt sailed just wide with only a minute left in regulation. 

It would prove to be the last great chance of the match offensively, despite a pair of corner kicks in the final minute of the second overtime that saw CNU challenge the Cal Lutheran goalkeeper. 

In the PK shootout, the Captains and Regals traded makes in the first round before Cal Lutheran's keeper made the first save in the second round. With Avery West shooting for the Regals, Sidaway kept things even with a miraculous diving save to her right heading into the third round. Again the teams traded makes, with Hannah Calliott delivering a masterful blast into the upper ninety for the Captains. Cal Lutheran made another save in round number four, and then converted on their last two makes to capture the 4-3 win. 

Despite being eliminated, small consolation lies in the fact that the Captains added another game to their record-breaking streak of consecutive games without a loss. Third year transfer Sarah Smith closes out her career with a 60-0-7 overall record, having never taken a loss. She is joined by transfer Clare Davis exhausting her NCAA women's soccer eligibility this season while a group of nine seniors, each of whom has the ability to return using the CoVID-19 waiver should they choose, have also have never suffered a loss during the 67-game streak.