NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- After opening the year with a 6-0-1 record, the Christopher Newport women's soccer team has moved into the top ten nationally, checking in at No. 8 in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 in Week 2. The Captains will host Roanoke College in the non-conference finale on Wednesday night, kicking off against the Maroons at 5:00 pm.
CNU vaulted up from the No. 13 spot in the poll to a position in the top 10 after remaining unbeaten through the first seven games. It is the first appearance in the Top 10 since 2007, when CNU climbed to No. 7 in the national rankings. The No. 8 designation is the highest ranking for the Captains under the direction of fifth-year head coach
Dan Weiler.
For fans who can not be in attendance at Captains Field on Wednesday night, a live video webcast and live statistics will be available at CNUsports.com/live. Links to both are also available on the CNU Women's Soccer schedule at CNUsports.com.
The Captains are riding momentum through the non-conference portion of the schedule with a near-perfect record through the first seven games. CNU is coming off a successful trip to Atlanta where the Captains dispatched of Emory, 2-1, and Berry, 3-0, to run the team's win streak to four. Following the action, CNU swept the conference player of the week honors for the second time this season as
Carson Pokorny and
Danielle Pratt were named Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week, respectively.
Pokorny is at the top of a dangerous attack that is averaging 3.14 goals per game with 22 goals already this season. The sophomore forward is tied for the team lead in scoring with 11 points, while rookie
Riley Cook has also burst onto the scene with 11 points so far. CNU's offense has scored 15 of their 22 goals after halftime and has a pair of overtime victories this year.
Defensively, Pratt anchors a back line that has allowed just seven goals so far for a goals-against average of 0.96 for the season. Sophomores
Keiley McCarthy,
Shaye Doherty, and rookie
Alexi Manley have done the lion's share of the work in the back, while senior goalkeeper
Carly Maglio has played all but 26 minutes of action between the pipes.
The last non-conference game on the season will be against Roanoke, coming into the contest with a 3-2-1 overall record. The Maroons suffered a 1-0 setback at Randolph-Macon last weekend, following a three-game unbeaten streak that included a dominant 3-0 win over Salisbury in the Shellenberger Classic.
The offense has scored just seven goals in the team's first six games, but a stingy defense has allowed just four. In goal, sophomore Chris Martin has a 0.56 goals against average in five games started with a save percentage of .912. Offensively, rookie Ellie Schad has a pair of goals, with one gamewinner, and sophomore Kathryn Van Orden also has two scores.
Following Wednesday's action, the Captains will turn focus to the Capital Athletic Conferenec, with the league opener scheduled for Saturday, September 23 at 4:00 pm. That game will be played at York College of Pennsylvania as part of a doubleheader with the men's teams.
United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division III Women - National - Poll 2 - September 19, 2017
Records shown are through games of Sept. 17, 2017
Also receiving votes: Loras College, Illinois Wesleyan University, Emory University, Western Connecticut State University, Arcadia University, Springfield College, Ohio Northern University, Middlebury College, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
