ATLANTA, Ga. -- The freshly minted No. 13 team in the nation is headed down to Atlanta, Georgia for the weekend, as the Christopher Newport women's soccer team prepares to take on Emory University (3-1-0) and Berry College (1-1-1) in non-conference action. The Captains will first take on the Eagles on their home field Friday night at 7:00 pm before then facing off against the Berry Vikings on Sunday at Noon on a neutral field at Emory.
Live stats and a live video webcast will be available for both games with links found on the soccer schedule at CNUsports.com.
The Captains are off to an unbeaten 4-0-1 start through the first five games of the season, including a 2-0-1 record away from home. CNU is facing Emory for just the second time after a 1-1 draw in 2014 marked the first ever matchup, while the Captains earned the same result against Berry in the program's only battle with the Vikings in 2015.
Christopher Newport is looking to extend one of the finest starts in program history after opening the year unbeaten through the first five games for just the third time. CNU posted an 8-0 start in 2000 and an 5-0-1 opening mark in 2015 to mark the best two runs since starting the program in 1997.
CNU leads the league in scoring with 3.40 goals per game and eight different players have found the back of the net so far this season. Leading the way is rookie
Riley Cook, with four goals scored, while junior
Gabby Gillis has added three goals and an assist for seven points. Off the bench, another newcomer,
Maddie Cochran, has registered three goals including one gamewinner.
Defensively, the Captains have rotated through a strong group of back line players, while underclassmen
Alexi Manley, Shaye Doherty, and
Keiley McCarthy lead the team in minutes played. Senior All-Region center back
Danielle Pratt has started all five games as well, while veterans
Kira Warner and
Michelle Green have helped bolster the defensive unit. In goal, senior
Carly Maglio has a 1.19 goals-against average in over 450 minutes between the pipes while making 19 saves and allowing six goals.
Facing the Captains on Friday night, the host Emory University Eagles are off to a strong 3-1-0 start. Emory suffered a 1-0 setback to Johns Hopkins, but has outscored their other three opponents, 9-1, including a 3-0 victory over Meredith in their last game. Nine different players have combined to score the nine goals on the season for Emory, while four have also chipped in assists. Defensively, Haley Pratt has only allowed two goals in four games for a 0.51 goals-against average and an .867 save percentage.
On Sunday, CNU will face Berry in a neutral site contest after a 1-1-1 opening mark for the Vikings. They are coming off a scoreless draw with Transylvania in the Berry Invitational last weekend, after also defeating Belhaven, 3-1. Junior Megan Radosta has scored twice to lead the team in scoring with four points, while Bella Fornuto notched the lone gamewinner on the year. In goal, senior Jackie McGivney has played every minute so far with a 0.93 goals-against average and one shutout.
Next up for the Captains after they return from Georgia will be a home game against Roanoke College at 5:00 pm on September 20. The game will be part of a doubleheader with the men's team, who takes on Virginia Wesleyan at 7:00 pm at Captains Field.
