Owings Mills, Md. -- After trailing by one with less than ten minutes to go against a top-five team in the nation, the University of Lynchburg allowed a 4-1 scoring run from a strong Christopher Newport team in the final period and lost, 16-12, for the team's last competition of the Callum Robinson Mustang Classic on Saturday.

The No. 13/16 Hornets (2-4) dropped their second contest in as many days to the No. 4/5 Captains in a close battle. Lynchburg had a deficit of as many as four goals in the second quarter, clawed back to within one on multiple occasions, but was unable to successfully mount the comeback. 

Following a goal from CNU's Brett Jackson just 39 seconds into the affair, the squads traded blows for the new six scores. By the end of the first period, the scoreboard was knotted at 3-3. Jackson opened the second quarter with his third goal of the affair and sparked a 5-1 rally that gave the Captains an 8-4 advantage with 7:27 to go in the first half.

Lynchburg retaliated by rattling off three straight goals in a 2:34-span that cut its deficit to one, 8-7, with 3:34 before halftime. Christopher Newport was able to net two more before the intermission while sophomore middie Liam Holman had the final goal of the first half and the squads went into the break with the Captains ahead, 10-8.

After CNU added one more to start the scoring in the second half, the Hornets had fifth year midfielder Jake Rust and junior attack Spencer Vandenberg score consecutive goals to close out the third quarter with Lynchburg trailing, 11-10.

The two sides traded goals at the beginning of the final 15-minute period and Lynchburg was behind by one goal once again. The Captains closed out strong, scoring four before the final buzzer and allowing just one from the Hornets.

Junior attackman Riley Hastings paced the Hornets offensively with two goals and three assists for a season-high five points. Rust (3g), Holman (2g, 1a), and junior attack Finn Schmidt (1g, 2a) each tallied three points in the outing. Brett Jackson (5g) and Kevin Miller (2g, 3a) had five points apiece to lead the Captains, while Jamie Smith tallied four goals.

Next up on the slate is Lynchburg's first conference competition of the season. The Hornets welcome the Virginia Wesleyan Marlins to Shellenberger Field on Saturday, March 22 at 2 p.m.

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