ARLINGTON, Va. -- Before the Captains prepare for the Capital Athletic Conference Tournament next week the CNU women's soccer team will wrap up the regular season on Wednesday, October 26 at 4:00 pm, traveling to face Marymount University in Northern Virginia. Christopher Newport (13-2-1, 7-0-1) has a chance to close out it's second unbeaten season in conference play since joining the CAC, and will be taking on the Saints (7-8-0, 2-6-0), who won five of their seven home games this season.
Live stats and video will be available at kickoff, set for 4:00 pm.
It will be just the second time this season the Captains will be playing following a loss, coming off a 1-0 setback to nationally-ranked Lynchburg on Sunday. After the defeat, the Captains dropped out of the NSCAA Top 25, and slipped to No. 24 in the D3soccer.com national rankings. Still, CNU will be putting the finishing touches on the program's best regular season finish in program history, looking to secure the outright conference regular season title for the third time in four seasons as members of the league.
The Captains' defense remains one of the toughest to score on in the nation, ranking 23rd nationally in goals-against average with a 0.43 mark through the first 16 games of the season. Junior goalkeeper
Carly Maglio has played every minute of this season between the pipes, posting nine shutouts with an .897 save percentage. She will be playing for her 30th career victory behind a stingy back line that has allowed only seven goals this season, on 8.0 shots per game. Rookies
Shaye Doherty,
Keiley McCarthy and juniors
Kira Warner and
Danielle Pratt have been the primary starters for most of the season, limiting opponents' chances.
Sophomore
Gabby Gillis anchors a strong midfield heavy with underclassmen, including rookies
Sydney Rife,
Logan Montel, sophomore
Taylor Hudgins and junior
Alexis Haycraft. Haycraft is coming off a strong performance against Lynchburg, in which she played a season-high 62 minutes helping control play in the middle of the pitch.
On the attacking end of the field, senior
Victoria Perry leads the way in her third consecutive 25-point season. Perry is the Captains' all-time leader in assists and ranks ninth in CAC history in helpers. With 102 career points, the Purcellville, Va. native ranks second all-time in career scoring and trails Emma O'Reilly's program mark by just one point. She is currently leading the league in helpers with nine while ranking third in points (25) and goals scored (8).
CNU will be facing a Marymount squad playing in their last game of the 2016 season, led by a pair of veteran core of offensive and defensive players. Senior Kirsten Campbell leads the team in scoring with 16 points on six goals and four assists, while classmate Chloe McAuliffe has added 13 points on four goals and five assists. Rookie Karen Reyes has helped bolster the attack with five goals and five assists, scoring 15 points for the Saints. On the defensive end, seniors Joanna Chenaille and Sarah Lloyd play in front of a pair of veteran goalkeepers who have split time this season. Senior April Westmark has started eight games, while junior Sydney Schultz has started six. The duo have combined for a 1.87 GAA, with Schultz boasting a 1.71 mark to lead the team.
Following Wednesday's action, the Captains will be off for a full week before they host the CAC Semifinals at Captains Field against the winner of the #4/5 seed matchup. Those teams will be determined through other action around the league on Wednesday, as the tournament bracket is firmed up. Stay tuned to CNUsports.com for updates on game times, opponents, and ticket information.
