GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNC-Greensboro Soccer Stadium is situated in such a way that the sun sets in the late winter afternoon directly behind one of the goals. The symbolism of that setting sun in the second half of the TCNJ women's soccer team's unsuccessful comeback attempt was apparent to all. As the clock ticked away in that second half, the Lions were contending with more than just their opponent, Christopher Newport. The Lions were fighting the inevitable passage of time.
 
The sun was still high in the sky when Christopher Newport scored the game's first goal off a corner kick in the 19^th minute. By the time TCNJ was whistled for a questionable foul that led to a Captains penalty kick in the 67^th minute to double their lead to 2-0, the shadows had stretched to the TCNJ bench, almost summoning the coach in the final minutes of his 31^st season and the team that was unbeaten through its first 23 games to ride off into the sunset.
 
"It's been fantastic, it was a great run," Russo said of his career following Saturday's game. "If you told me when we started in 1990 that we're going to win over 500 games, be in 13 Final Fours and win some national championships, I would have thought you were crazy."
 
The Lions and Captains entered Saturday's title game with nearly identical records. TCNJ was 21-0-2, and Christopher Newport was 21-0-1. Someone had to lose, and it was also TCNJ's second game in the NCAA Tournament against another unbeaten team. Against Scranton in the Sweet 16, though, the Lions recovered from an early deficit to score three straight goals in a 3-1 victory.
 
TCNJ wasn't so lucky on Saturday following Sarah Smith's one-touch goal to the far post off the corner in the 19^th minute. It wasn't for a lack of effort on the Lions' part, though.
 
Ava Garay had a hard shot saved less than a minute after Smith's tally. Not long after, Amelia Curtis made a pair of quality corner kicks that both resulted in headers from Nikki Butler and Julia Obst. Butler's header was saved, and Obst's popped over the crossbar.
 
Ava Curtis added a couple of near misses on connections that could have led to scoring chances. A free kick in the 38^th minute was centered into the box, but it was cleared away by the CNU defense before a Lion could get to it. A couple of minutes later, she ripped one deep into CNU territory. Again, though, the Lions couldn't make the connection.
 
In the final minutes of the first half, Lindsay O'Keefe lost her balance as she took a shot from the top of the box, and it went high and wide.
 
In the second half, CNU had a couple of good chances early in the half, including a breakaway in the opening minute of the period. That shot didn't come close to being on target, though, as the scored stayed 1-0.
 
Ava Curtis had a driving shot in the 57^th minute that went wide left, and it was the last best chance the Lions had before the Captains' penalty kick.
 
Trailing by two goals, the Lions tried to cut into the deficit to give themselves a chance. Butler had a shot go wide left in the 73^rd minute, and a pass from Ivonne Vazquez to a sliding Butler just missed on what was likely the Lions' best scoring opportunity of an afternoon that drifted into dusk a little sooner than TCNJ would have preferred.
 
The program says goodbye to a senior class that includes four All-Region selections: Jess Hall, Amelia Curtis, Julia Obst and Alexandra Panasuk. Hall and Panasuk were named All-Americans earlier this week.
 
Russo finishes his 31 seasons with the fourth-most wins in NCAA women's soccer victories, regardless of division. Russo won three national titles, and Saturday's game was his eighth appearance in the national championship game.
 
"We've had some great opportunities and some memories that I will never forget," Russo said.