NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- A long-awaited home opener for the nationally-ranked Christopher Newport women's soccer team ended in thrilling fashion on Saturday evening, as sophomore
Riley Cook powered home a game-winning goal in the first overtime period to propel the Captains (6-1-0, 1-0-0) to a 2-1 win over Penn State Harrisburg (5-5-1, 0-1-0). The Captains came from behind to force extra time and Cook's winner secured the first conference win of the season for CNU.
The September 29 matchup represented the deepest point in any season in program history that the Captains played their first home game of the season. This year, CNU had two previously scheduled matchups washed out due to heavy rain and Hurricane Florence, but when the Captains finally took the field on Saturday, they were treated to a beautiful, warm day.
Despite thundering 35 shots on the Penn State Harrisburg defense, the Captains were embroiled in a classic battle with the Lions, who have now held CNU to one-goal decisions in each of the last four matchups. The visitors took a 1-0 lead with a goal scored in the 37th minute of action on one of just six shots surrendered by the CNU defense. The Lions' leading scorer, Kaeleigh Smedley served a free kick from the sideline into the box for Katie Kosovac, who headed home the score just four minutes after being subbed into the game.
The goal was one of only two shots allowed in the first half by CNU, as the home team pressured the Lions defense to the tune of 17 shots in the opening stanza. Kayla Arnold, the Lions' goalkeeper, made six saves in the first half and then went out and added eight more stops in the second half.
She and the rest of the Penn State Harrisburg defense was not able to keep the Captains off the board, however, as CNU found the equalizer in the 66th minute. Junior defender
Shaye Doherty played a picture-perfect pass through the Harrisburg defense, where
Carson Pokorny streaked through a hole between two players. As Arnold raced to beat Pokorny to the ball, it was the CNU junior who got there first and poked a shot off of the goalkeeper into the left side of the goal.
Arnold continued to play well for the Lions after the game-tying goal, including a save against the league's leading scorer,
Gabby Gillis, loose in the box for a hard shot in the 89th minute. The rebound found the foot of rookie
Kristina Toms, but her second attempt was also stopped by the Harrisburg netminder to send the game into overtime.
CNU goalkeeper
Maddy Belanger made a pivotal stop in the overtime period and the Captains defense held on a pair of corner kicks before the eventual game-winning goal came in the 98th minute. Junior
Keiley McCarthy had the ball on the sideline before making a move to get by her defender; she then raced into the box before slipping a bounding ball through a trio of Lions defenders to the foot of
Riley Cook in the center of the box. Cook made sure her try was true, slamming home her third game-winning goal of the season just over Arnold's outstretched hands into the top of the netting.
In her first 25 career games, in which the Captains have gone 23-1-1, the Captains' sophomore sensation already has eight career game-winning goals to move into the top ten all-time. The helper was Doherty's first of the season and fifth career assist.
Earning the win in goal was Belanger, who played the final 52+ minutes, making a pair of saves. The defense in front of her, including the aforementioned McCarthy and Doherty, also featured
Lulu Manley and
Lauren Fitzpatrick in Saturday's victory. The group held Penn State Harrisburg to just six total attempts and only four on-frame.
With the victory, CNU extends it's conference winning streak to 12 games, which began on October 22, 2016 against Penn State Harrisburg. That roll ranks tied for the fourth best run against league competition in program history.
CNU will return to non-conference action for their next game, traveling to Fayetteville, N.C. to make up a game against Methodist University on Wednesday, October 3. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:00 pm.
