Box Score in HTML FormatBox Score in PDF FormatVIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- In the finale of the 2015 Atlantic Orthopedic Specialists Classic hosted by Virginia Wesleyan College, the Christopher Newport women's soccer team battled to a 1-1 draw against Berry College (Ga.) (1-0-1). The Captains record ran to 2-0-1 on the young season as junior
Victoria Perry notched her second goal of the year and junior goalkeeper
Haley Casanova made a season-high seven saves.
The two teams, boasting a pair of the region's top offenses in 2014, traded first half goals in what would prove to be all the offense on Saturday night. First, the Captains got on the board behind the reigning CAC Player of the Year on an unassisted tally in the 13th minute. Perry shuffled into the box between defenders and smashed a hard shot past Berry's Logan Williams for the goal. Just over 13 minutes later, it was Berry's Maggie Midkiff who evened the score for the Vikings. A year after Midkiff scored 25 goals, ranking 12th nationally, the Vikings' junior made it three goals in two days with an unassisted score against CNU.
After the 26 minute mark, it was the goalkeepers and defense that led the way for both teams the rest of the way. First, rookie
MiAsia Pinckney pressured Williams with a shot in the 37th minute before an injury forced Berry's keeper out of the game. Melissa Sanchez, a junior, replaced the rookie and held the Captains scoreless the rest of the way.
In the second half, Casanova made three saves, including a game-saving stop with just eight seconds remaining in regulation. Lindsay Danford, Sara Dillon and Tessa Piety put shots on frame, in the second half, and the Berry offense continued with high pressure in the first overtime. With less than four minutes to go, Berry earned a pair of corner kicks that led to a header from Samantha Schoppy that was blocked by the CNU defense. Two more shots in the final minute of the first overtime challenged the CNU defense, but were turned away without getting anything close.
It was CNU's offense who took control in the second overtime, outshooting Berry, 3-0, in the final ten minutes. Rookie
Gabby Gillis had an attempt blocked that would lead to a corner kick, but the Captains couldn't get anything off the set piece. Gillis added another later in the OT period, while rookie
Kayla Locklear connected on a header that went just high.
Berry held a 19-16 advantage in overall shots, with an 8-5 edge in shots on-goal. Casanova finished with seven saves, while the two Viking keepers finished with four stops.
The Captains will return home for their next action, hosting the Captains Classic next weekend. CNU will play Houghton College on Friday, September 11, and faces Methodist University on Saturday, September 12.