NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Tying a program record for the program's longest winning streak against conference opponents, the third-ranked Christopher Newport women's soccer team shut out Mary Washington on Saturday evening, 3-0, for the team's 21st consecutive win over Capital Athletic Conference opponents. The Captains improved to 10-0-2 overall and 3-0-0 in league play while the Eagles fell to 4-7-0, 1-2-0 in the conference matchup. 

The 13-year old record was set between October 18, 2003 and September 30, 2006 when the Captains won 21 games against USA South Athletic Conference competition. The current roll, all against CAC opponents, dates back to October 22, 2016. Christopher Newport also extended it's season-opening unbeaten streak to 12 games, marking the third unbeaten streak at least as long in the last three seasons. It ranks tied for the fourth longest run without a loss in program history. 

In the contest, junior Madison Cochran scored twice and sophomore Emily Talotta assisted on all three goals. The Captains outshot the Eagles by a final count of 34-6 and allowed just three shots on-goal defensively. 

In a lopsided first half, the Captains did not allow a single shot to the Mary Washington attack while blistering 19 of their own. Christopher Newport also had a 9-0 edge in corner kick attempts and led at the break, 2-0, behind Cochran and rookie Molly Beegle scoring strikes. 

In the 33rd minute of action, the Mary Washington goalkeeper delivered a goal kick down the right side of the field. The first touch was off the head of Talotta, who placed a perfect through ball toward the center of the field for Cochran. The junior forward took one touch to her right foot before slamming a hard bouncer into the left side of the goal for the score. It would hold up as the game-winning goal for her first of the season. 

Talotta was just getting started facilitating the potent Christopher Newport attack as she assisted on the game's second goal just over five minutes later. As she has scripted dozens of times already this season, Talotta was able to beat her defender toward the goal line and find a clear passing lane into the middle of the box for her teammates. It was Beegle who crashed down the center of the box for the finish this time, as the rookie hammered home her third goal of the season. 

The Eagles ratcheted up their offensive pressure in the second half, but a formidable defense proved too much for the visiting forwards. Seniors Keiley McCarthy, Shaye Doherty, and junior Lulu Manley did the bulk of the work on the back line with rookie Jill McDonald also playing in the contest. Junior goalkeeper Haley Eiser snared all three shots on frame by the Mary Washington attack and preserved the Captains' eighth shutout of the season. 

While the Mary Washington attack pressured forward trying to cut the lead in half, it found itself vulnerable on the other end in the 80th minute when Talotta again broke down her defender on the left side. With another textbook pass into the center of the field just out of the reach of the Eagles goalkeeper, Cochran was able to get her right foot on the other end of the pass for her second score of the night. 

Mary Washington goalkeeper Allison Nork delivered 11 saves in the loss.

Talotta's three assists give her nine on the season to chart fourth on the all-time sophomore list at Christopher Newport. She trails teammates Carson Pokorny and Maxine Borris with a record 13 in the category by four helpers. 

The nationally-ranked Captains will return to action on Wednesday, October 9 as they travel to face St. Mary's (Md.) in CAC action. Carrying a three-game winning streak into the matchup with the Seahawks, kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 pm. 

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