NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – In a game that came down to the final seconds of regulation, it was fifth-ranked Christopher Newport who prevailed over Washington and Lee, 13-12, in the NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Round of 16 on Sunday.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- With the Captains (18-3) having been rallying all second half, the Generals (16-6), down two with 5:20 remaining, scored two of the final three goals of the game, including a James Haley score with 1:49 left, to make it a 13-12 score.
- The Captains won the ensuing faceoff, but senior Colin Beatty managed to cause a turnover with 49 seconds left, followed by a Jay O'Keefe ground ball and successful clear, leaving the Generals 38 seconds to find the tying goal.
- W&L first-year Garrett Ferguson let a shot loose with six seconds left, but CNU goalie Mason Bellinger made the stop. With the ball on the ground, Ferguson scooped it up just outside the crease and got another shot off from close range, but Bellinger was there again for the save. Bellinger controlled his final save and tossed the ball into the air to kill off the remaining seconds.
- The Captains struck for the first two goals of the game within the first four minutes, but W&L tied the score before the end of the opening frame, including a James Meyer score with just 0.9 seconds left.
- The Generals really got their offense rolling in the second quarter, outscoring CNU 6-2 to take an 8-4 halftime lead. They also managed to hold the Captains scoreless from 11:18 in the first until 7:35 in the second, a span of 18:43 of game time.
- Christopher Newport came out firing in the third quarter, tallying each of the first four goals to tie the game at eight with 1:36 left. W&L found the back of the net on two of the next three goals for a 10-9 lead, before the Captains jumped back in front, 12-10, with three straight goals.
TOP PERFORMERS:
- Haley and Ferguson both logged four points to lead the W&L offense, with first-year Luke Caldwell finishing with three. Haley's points were all goals, Ferguson scored three times and Caldwell dished out two assists.
- Junior Thomas Moxley won 12-of-22 faceoffs and first-year Hunter Hodges went 3-for-5 as the Generals (15) just edged the Captains (14) in face-off wins. Moxley and Hodges combined for seven ground balls.
- Beatty and first-year Lawson Marshall both caused three turnovers to lead the defense. Beatty and Caldwell led W&L with five ground balls, with Marshall getting three.
- CNU's Kevin Miller had a game-high eight points on four goals and four assists, with Jackson Platner notching six points on three goals and three helpers. Miller added four ground balls to his line.
- Grant Giunchi was an even 50 percent (14-28) on faceoffs, and he tied AJ Rosacker for the team lead in ground balls (8). Brett Kelley and Rory Keverline caused three turnovers apiece.
- Bellinger and sophomore JJ Kim both played the duration of the game in goal for their teams. Kim ended the game with 10 saves for the Generals, while Bellinger finished with 12 stops.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Sunday's loss marked the end of one of the most prolific offensive careers the W&L men's lacrosse program has ever seen. Haley finished his playing career fourth in program history in goals (167) and assists (116), and third in points (283).
- Haley also finished his senior season with the most points in a season in program history (115), the second-most assists (53) and second-most goals (62).
- Caldwell put together one of the best, if not the top, offensive season by a rookie in program history. He recorded 52 goals (T-8th), 50 assists (3rd) and 103 points (3rd).
TEAM STATS:
- The final team numbers were similar across the board in the game. The Captains took more total shots (41-39), but the Generals put more shots on goal (24-23).
- W&L picked up three more ground balls (41-38) than the Captains, while CNU committed three fewer turnovers (21-18).
END-OF-SEASON NOTES:
- The Generals complete the 2026 season with a 16-6 overall record and made their fourth straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament's Round of 16. The 16 wins are tied for the third-most in a season in program history.
- W&L scored the second-most goals in a season in program history (389) and finished with the second-highest goals-per-game average (17.7) in program history.
Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.
