Sarah Smith scored 47 seconds into overtime Saturday, and top-ranked Christopher Newport held on for more than 19 minutes to defeat No. 23 Virginia Wesleyan 1-0 in the NCAA Division III round of 16 in Newport News.
CNU (19-0-2) will be back on its home field at 4:30 p.m. Sunday for a quarterfinal against the winner between California Lutheran and Hardin-Simmons of Texas. The victor will go to the semifinals at Kerr Stadium in Salem.
The Captains outshot VWU 20-9 and gained payback for their quarterfinal loss in penalty kicks to the Marlins (17-4-2) last season. Smith, a Norfolk Collegiate alumna, scored off an Emma Ricci assist. Amy Sidaway made three saves for a shutout, while the Marlins’ Rachel Quigley stopped nine shots.
COLLEGE CROSS COUNTRY
Oklahoma State men, N.C. State women race to titles
Oklahoma State’s men and North Carolina State’s women earned NCAA championships Saturday in a meet hosted by Virginia at Panorama Farms in Earlysville.
Harvard’s Graham Blanks won the men’s 10-kilometer race in 28 minutes, 37.7 seconds, becoming the first Ivy League champion. Oklahoma State had 49 points to runner-up Northern Arizona’s 71.
Florida’s Parker Valby won the women’s 6K in 18:55.2. The Wolfpack edged Northern Arizona 123-124 for the trophy.
At the Division III championships in Newville, Pennsylvania, CNU’s Daniel Ferrante finished 170th with an 8K time of 26:09.0, the fastest time by a Captain at the nationals since 2017. He placed 187th a year ago.
.