NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Records continue to fall in the magical 2018 season for Christopher Newport women's soccer, who advanced to the program's second ever NCAA Division III Sectional Championship with a 2-1 win over 18th-ranked Hope College on Friday night. CNU last played in the sectional final in 2004 during the team's only other appearance in the second weekend of postseason play. 

The Captains broke the 20-win mark for the first time in program history, besting last season's record-breaking 19-win campaign and improved to 20-1-0 with the victory over the Flying Dutch. Hope College concluded their season with a 16-3-2 overall record and the program's first ever appearance in the sectional round. 

The offense scored an early goal in either half and the defense held on through one of the toughest barrages of offense they have encountered this season. Rookie Abby Harrigan netted the first goal of the game before Hope answered later in the first half to knot the game at one goal apiece. Less than five minutes into the second half, the Captains' leading scorers hooked up for the game-winning goal as senior midfielder Gabby Gillis set up sophomore Riley Cook for her 24th goal of the year. The CNU defense faced a season-high 17 shots including seven on-frame and bent, but didn't break in the NCAA tournament victory. 

Playing on a wet track after a week's worth of rainy weather, the Captains found their footing first in front of the fourth largest crowd in program history at Captains Field. CNU attacked the goal immediately, getting a pair of shots from Cook and one from Maddie Cochran in the first six minutes of action. Cochran then played into the first goal of the match when CNU scored just a few minutes later. 

After Hope turned the ball over, the Captains were on the break with Cochran loose up the center of the field before she passed the ball to rookie teammate Abby Harrigan at the top of the box. The freshman midfielder made a nice move to create space for her shot, which she whipped into the top shelf on the right side of the goal from just outside the 18. It was her first career goal. 

The initial burst favored the Captains, but the visitors controlled much of the first half with a number of set piece opportunities inside their attacking third of the field. On one such opportunity in the 26th minute, Hope found the equalizer after a scrum in the box led to an open shot from Hilary Curry. After a free kick was lofted into the box, the ball bounced around before a first attempt rebounded right to Curry for a shot into the right side of the goal. 

The score remained tied at one at halftime with Christopher Newport owning a slight 11-9 advantage in total shots while both teams put three attempts on frame. 

Early in the second half, the Captains turned to their scoring leaders for what would prove to be the eventual winner. Sophomore Maxine Borris threw the ball into Gillis, who dribbled through a pair of defenders into the box. The senior midfielder rolled a pass by the diving goalkeeper to Cook in the middle of the box, who fired a shot into the back of the net for the score in the 50th minute. 

With the assist, Gillis became just the third player in program history to score 40 points in a single season on her 10th helper of the year. She now has 15 goals and 10 assists to join Sam Ciaravino in 2010 and Cook's record-shattering 54-point season this year as the only 40-point campaign's in program history. Gillis also became the all-time leader in games started at CNU with the effort on Friday night, marking her 83rd career start. 

The goal moved Cook into a tie for fourth all-time in scoring at CNU with 88 career points on 38 goals and 19 assists. She also ranks fourth in career goals while moving into a tie for first in career game-winning goals. The second-year forward has put away 16 game-winning goals, notching the career record set by Victoria Perry over the course of her four-year career. 

Christopher Newport advances to the Sectional Championship for just the second time and will take on 17th-ranked University of Lynchburg on Saturday night at 6:00 pm. CNU and Lynchburg matched up earlier this season and the Hornets handed the Captains' their lone loss on the season with a 2-1 victory. The teams have paired up in NCAA Tournament play twice prior to Saturday, with CNU capturing a 1-0 win in 2004's sectional semifinal and Lynchburg winning, 2-1, in last season's second round. The winning team will secure a berth to the NCAA Division III National Semifinals on November 30-December 1. 

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