Virginia, Virginia Tech will travel for NCAA softball regionals

COLLEGE SOFTBALL

Virginia gained its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2010. The Cavaliers were sent to the Knoxville Regional, where the resurgent Cavaliers will face Miami of Ohio at noon Friday on ESPN+.

The 16 opening four-team, double-elimination regionals are hosted by national seeds — Tennessee in UVA’s case. Tennessee, seeded third nationally, will meet Dayton at 2:30 p.m. Friday on ESPN+.

Virginia Tech (39-12-1), meanwhile, was sent to Los Angeles and will face San Diego State (31-18) at 6 p.m. on ESPNU. Sixth-seeded UCLA is hosting that regional and will meet Grand Canyon at 8:30 on ESPN+.

Conference USA champion Liberty will face Charlotte at 3 p.m. Friday on ESPN+ in Athens, Georgia. No. 11 Georgia then will meet UNC Wilmington at 5:30 on ESPN+.

MEN’S LACROSSE

No. 6 Captains cruise to quarterfinals

Alex Brendes had three goals and two assists as Christopher Newport (16-5), ranked sixth in NCAA Division III, earned a national quarterfinal berth by defeating No. 15 Stevens 12-5 Sunday night at Jennings Family Stadium.

The Ducks (18-3), from Hoboken, New Jersey, pulled even at 4 with 12:38 to go in the second quarter. But CNU’s defense stifled them until Stevens scored with 19 seconds left in the game.

The Captains will travel to New York state to face the second-ranked Rochester Institute of Technology in a quarterfinal at noon Saturday.

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

CNU advances to NCAA round of 16

Christopher Newport got untracked in the second half at home, beating Catholic of Washington, D.C., 9-6 in the NCAA Division III Tournament’s second round.

The Captains (14-6), ranked 21st, were trailing by two in the third quarter before pouring in six late goals, including four in the fourth quarter. Syd Guidi finished with four points and notched her 13th hat trick of the season. She added a key goal with four minutes left.
Kelsey Winters contributed three points, while Sloane McDonald added two goals and Julia Iapicca handed out two assists.

CNU moved to the round of 16 for a rematch with No. 7 Washington and Lee on Saturday. W&L defeated Rhodes 17-7. The time and site for the Captains and Generals are to be announced.

Catholic finished 13-8.

Florida ousts No. 5 UVA

In the Division I second round, despite coming back from a three-goal deficit, fifth-seeded Virginia (15-5) fell 13-8 to No. 10 Florida (19-2) at Klöckner Stadium in Charlottesville.

Danielle Pavinelli had four goals and an assist, Ashley Gonzalez had three goals and two assists, Maggi Hall had two goals and three assists for the Gators, who outscored the Cavaliers 5-1 in the fourth quarter.

Mackenzie Hoeg and Katia Carnevale each had two goals for UVA, while Morgan Schwab added a goal and two assists.

No. 4 Maryland dominates JMU

Fourth-seeded Maryland blew out James Madison 17-7 in College Park as Eloise Clevenger scored five goals and tallied three assists for the Terrapins (14-5), who will face Florida in a quarterfinal at noon Thursday.

All-American Isabella Peterson led JMU (14-6) with four goals, while fellow senior attacker Katelyn Morgan added two assists.

Sophomore goalkeeper Caitlin Boden entered the cage for the Dukes midway through the first quarter and made eight saves on 27 shots faced.

LOCAL SOCCER

Lionsbridge blanks VB United in opener

Lionsbridge FC overcame Virginia Beach United 1-0 Saturday night at Virginia Beach Sportsplex in the season opener for both teams.

Lionsbridge, the national runner-up in “pre-professional” USL League Two last year, broke through on a goal by Denis Krioutchenkov in the 77th minute. After a long free kick, Claudel N’Goubou headed the ball to Krioutchenkov, who volleyed the ball past goalkeeper Griffin Potter with a powerful, bouncing drive from 18 yards away.

Krioutchenkov, who plays for Davidson and grew up in Milwaukee, was a first-team All-Atlantic 10 choice last fall.

Goalkeeper Tyler Hogan gained a shutout for the Newport News-based Lions.