Box Score in HTML Format

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- Playing amid a steady rain for the bulk of their game, the Christopher Newport women's soccer team endured the elements and came away with a convincing 7-0 victory in their season opener against Austin College (0-1-0). The Captains (1-0-0) got a tremendous debut from rookie Carson Pokorny, scoring two goals and adding an assist, while senior Victoria Perry continued her assault on the CNU record books with a goal and three assists. 

Playing as part of the Atlantic Orthopaedic Soccer Tournament hosted by Virginia Wesleyan College, the Captains kicked off the 2016 season with a bang, getting seven goals from six different players while outshooting the Kangaroos, 42-2. CNU secured its first shutout of 2016 as junior goalkeeper Carly Maglio played all 90 minutes, making two saves. 

The Captains wasted no time to start their season off on the right foot, Perry found Pokorny for the eventual gamewinner just 1:01 into the contest. The senior served a ball in from the right side where Pokorny drilled home a one-timer for the finish and first career goal. The helper was the first of the night for Perry and moved her into a tie for second in career assists with her 20th dish, matching Amy Petko's mark set in 2001. Less than a minute later, Perry notched her 30th career goal as well, moving into the top five for goals off an assist by rookie Sydney Rife. Rife played a through ball on the right side leaving Perry open for a one-on-one with the goalkeeper, who she beat for the goal. 

In the first eight minutes, CNU would cruise to a 4-0 advantage, scoring twice more in the early going. Perry set up Pokorny for a similar goal in the fifth minute of action, and junior Kimmie Kerstiens would blast home her first of the year in the 8th minute off assists from Pokorny and Perry, capping the stellar night from the Captains' starting forwards. 

After continuing to pepper the Roos starting goalkeeper throughout the first half, it was in the 33rd minute that CNU cashed in on goal number five off the foot of another rookie, Keiley McCarthy. Senior Allie McWilliams set up the strike, slipping a perfect pass to the feet of McCarthy in the box, where she finished for her first career tally.

The Captains carried a 5-0 lead into halftime and added two more scores in the second half. Another first year player notched a goal in the 59th minute, as Kyra Locklear connected off a through ball from junior Rachael Brewer to give CNU a 6-0 advantage. Finally, in the 76th minute, Alex Miller cleaned up a rebound for her first goal of the season and the final score of 7-0. 

Defensively, the Captains were near perfect, holding Austin College to just two shots in the game, both early in the second half. Ashley Rice and Erin Eckart each put attempts on frame, but Maglio turned away both shots and securing her seventh career shutout. 

CNU will now turn their attention to TCNJ, a tough team out of the New Jersey Athletic Conference, for their second game in the Atlantic Orthopaedic Soccer Tournament, set to begin play at 8:00 pm on Saturday, September 3. With Tropical Storm Hermine approaching the Hampton Roads area, fans are encouraged to stay tuned to CNUsports.com for updates, and follow @CNUathletics on Twitter and Facebook for the most up-to-date information.