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ARLINGTON, Va. -- With a 5-0 win at Marymount University on Wednesday afternoon, the Christopher Newport women's soccer team locked up their second outright regular season title since joining the Capital Athletic Conference in 2013. The Captains have secured the top seed in the CAC Tournament for the fourth straight season, and will host one of the CAC Semifinal matchups next Wednesday, November 2. 

In the game, sophomore Arial Gardner scored two goals in just her second game of the season, while junior Alex Miller chipped in a goal and an assist.  Rookie Keiley McCarthy and sophomore Gabby Gillis also scored, while senior Allie McWilliams set up a pair of goals in the game. 

CNU improves to 14-2-1 overall, and closes out their second unbeaten conference regular season with an 8-0-1 record. The Captains also won the league outright in 2014 with the same conference mark, and CNU has captured at least a share of the regular season crown in each of their four seasons in the league. 

On Wednesday, it was a late flurry in the first half that put the Captains in control on the road. CNU controlled possession throughout the game, but could not find the target in the first 20 minutes of action, only forcing one save in the first nine shots. In the 26th minute, though, sophomore Gabby Gillis would break through for the first goal, and that tally seemed to energize the CNU offense on a chilly, breezy afternoon in Northern Virginia.

Just seven minutes later, rookie Keiley McCarthy would put away a goal after a scrum in the box saw the ball bounce to her feet. After a corner kick, she got a header on frame toward the left post, but a defender managed to keep it out of the goal. On the second effort, though, the freshman defender put away the score to give CNU a 2-0 lead.

Before closing out the half, the Captains tacked on another goal in the 39th minute. Gardner, who peppered the Marymount goalkeeper from the moment she checked in, connected for her first goal of the season off an assist by McWilliams. The goal would give CNU a 3-0 lead headed into the halftime break, after outshooting the home team, 19-0.  

WIth bragging rights of the outright conference crown on the line, the Captains would not let off the throttle in the second half, scoring twice more before the final whistle. Early in the second half, McWilliams picked up her second assist on a goal by Alex Miller, connecting on a rebound in the 54th minute. Then, Miller set up the fifth and final goal with just over three minutes remaining when she slipped a pass into the center of the box for Gardner, who collected and finished for the goal. 

The lone chance of the afternoon for Marymount came with just under two minutes remaining, when Brooke Hillenbrand managed to get a shot on-goal against the vaunted CNU defense. Carly Maglio made the snag for the Captains, and secured her tenth shutout of the season. With a hefty lead in hand, the Captains' starting back four of Kira Warner, Shaye Doherty, Keiley McCarthy and Carly Melkus were each given some time off, giving way to sophomores Michelle Green, Lauren Ciccone, and junior Rachael Brewer. The defensive group was solid throughout, allowing just three total shots and only the one on-goal. 

Offensively, CNU pressured the Marymount defense all day. Sophomore Kayla Locklear put six of her 11 shots on-goal, while Gardner was 5-for-6 in shots on-goal. The Captains outshot the Saints, 37-3, with 20 attempts on frame. 

With the win, Maglio improved to 14-2-1, tying for the second most goalkeeper victories in a single season at CNU. It was also her 30th career victory, tied for third most in program history with Dineen Sampson ('10). Her tenth clean sheet moves her into sole possession for third on the single season chart, while also moving up to a tie for third in career shutouts with 16. 

Christopher Newport will now await the winner of the #4 Mary Washington vs. #5 York (Pa.) matchup being played on Saturday, October 29. The Captains will host the winning team in the CAC Semifinals on Wednesday, November 2 with game time to be determined.