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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- As Tropical Storm Nicole dissipates near Florida, Hampton Roads was hit hard with heavy rainfall, but the Christopher Newport University women's soccer team (5-4-1) played on through the storm, dropping Salisbury University (3-7-0) in a 2-0 final.

Senior Sam Ciaravino (Burke, Va.) notched her third gamewinner of the season with a goal in the 51st minute of action. Lauren Fleming (Burke, Va.) added an insurance goal with just 1:16 remaining.

The game featured rain throughout, but the first half was a little drier than the second. Salisbury came out firing, taking eight shots in the first half, putting five on-frame. CNU sophomore goalkeeper Meghan Gumbs (Mastic, N.Y.) was up to the task, saving all five.

The best chance for the Sea Gulls came just 16:09 into the game, when a foul was called in the box, awarding Salisbury a penalty kick. Sarah Pfundstein stepped up to take the kick, but Gumbs made a tremendous diving save to her left.

With the rains increasing in the second half, CNU would get on the board first. After a corner kick early in the second half, the Salisbury defense attempted to clear the ball out, but sophomore defender Julie Johnson (Richmond, Va.) collected the mis-hit and sent it back to the center of the box. Ciaravino was there for the deflection, getting a soft touch on the outside of her foot for the score into the right pocket. The goal was the seventh of the season and the 26th of her career.

Salisbury would continue to push through the storm, taking a bunch of shots late in the game. Sarah Jessilonis, the Sea Gulls leading scorer, led the way by taking eight shots, putting five on-goal. Gumbs continued to hold her post, though, making another five saves in the second half. It was the second time this season Gumbs posted double-digit saves with 10 in the victory.

Fleming's goal would ice the game with just over a minute remaining. Emma O'Reilly (Springfield, Va.) made her third breakaway run of the second half as she slipped behind the defense. As she got to the box, her defender had caught up, so she touched a pass to Fleming who laced a low line drive to the right of the goal for the score.

The Captains will stay on the road for their next game, as they travel to St. Mary's College (Md.) for a game this weekend, a 2:00 pm kick-off on Sunday, October 3.


SU         0    0     0
CNU      0    2     2

50:02   CNU   Ciaravino, Sam (7) from Johnson
88:44   CNU   Fleming, Lauren (3) from O'Reilly

Shots: SU (19), CNU (10)
Corner Kicks: SU (5), CNU (2)
Saves: SU-Oregera (3); CNU-Gumbs (10)

Cautions and Ejections:
YC-SU #13 (51:34); YC-CNU #25 (60:15)