Box Score in HTML Format

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- With a pair of goals in each half, the Christopher Newport women's soccer team began defense of their three straight regular season conference crowns with a convincing 4-0 victory Saturday evening, downing York College of Pennsylvania. The Captains improved to 7-1-0 overall with a 1-0-0 mark in league play, while the Spartans fell to 2-5-1 overall, 0-1-0 in the CAC. 

Senior Victoria Perry put away two goals, moving into sole possession of second all-time in career points (92), including the gamewinner, her 14th career winning strike. With the first goal of the contest, Perry tied Emma O'Reilly as the all-time leader in game-winning goals. 

The deciding tally would come in the 19th minute, when junior Kimmie Kerstiens started a nice combination of the middle of the field. She connected with rookie Carson Pokorny, who one-touched a through ball ahead to Perry, sprinting beyond the defense for an open look. Perry shot past the keeper to the right side and tickled the twine for the 33rd time in her career. 

The Captains dominated possession offensively, but would not get their second goal of the first half until there was less than two minutes remaining before intermission. Sophomore Kayla Locklear found herself alone in the midfield and took her space, driving through the green before delivering a perfectly placed bullet from 30 yards into the upper ninety. 

CNU would tack on two more in the first ten minutes of the second half, including another pretty combination play for Perry's second goal. In the 50th minute, Shaye Doherty took a throw-in and found Kerstiens backing down a defender. After heading the ball to her feet, she quickly shuffled a pass to Perry who took one touch and smashed a long shot from just outside the box into the left upper corner. 

Minutes later, junior defender Danielle Pratt would score her first goal of the season. After a defensive clear attempt by the Spartans, Pratt raced to beat her mark to the ball and connected on a long bomb headed for the goal. The ball bounced in front of the York keeper, but she couldn't contain it and the ball continued in to the goal. Pratt became the tenth goal scorer on the season for CNU, as the team has now registered 22 goals in its first eight games. 

CNU outshot York by a final count of 24-2, including an 11-1 edge in shots on-goal. Perry was the leader in attempts, putting three of five total shots on-frame. In between the pipes, CNU junior goalkeeper Carly Maglio picked up her fifth shutout of the season untested, needing to make just one save in the game. With the clean sheet, Maglio moves into a tie for fifth all-time at CNU in career shutouts.

Christopher Newport is now off for a week before they travel to Wesley College for game two of the CAC regular season next Saturday, October 1.  The kickoff against the Wolverines is scheduled for 6:00 pm.