NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Powered by another stalwart performance by the suffocating back line, the Christopher Newport defense earned it's fourth consecutive shutout of the season with a 2-0 win over Emory University (1-1-0) in the opening game of the 2019 Captains Invite on Saturday evening. The freshman class jolted the offense with a pair of second-half goals to help lead the way.
Matching the longest shutout streak in the first six years of head coach
Dan Weiler's tenure, the starting back line of
Shaye Doherty, Keily McCarthy, and
Lulu Manley led the way for the Captains in the clean sheet. Rookie
Jill McDonald also played over 50 minutes in the back while junior goalkeeper
Haley Eiser made a season-high seven saves in goal.
The talented Emory squad took 23 shots in the game, peppering the Captains back line with attempts, but Eiser stoned each one. The best chance of the contest for the Eagles came early in the second half when Aubrey Blanchard got loose down the right side for a one-on-one opportunity with Eiser. The junior goalkeeper closed on Blanchard and with a sprawling kick save, grabbed a pivotal save in the contest to keep the match scoreless.
Not long after, the Captains offense got on the board on a play started by
Maxine Borris down the right side. The junior midfielder got by her defender and then played a short pass to
Madison Cochran in the middle of the field. Cochran blasted a hard shot off an Emory player and the ball trickled right to the foot of rookie
Jessica Zimmermann. The freshman wasted no time slamming home the rebound to get Christopher Newport on the board first.
With Emory continuing to apply pressure to the defense, the Captains picked up an insurance goal off a corner kick in the 75th minute of action. Just minutes after McDonald had just missed wide left on a header, she made sure to put her next attempt on target when fellow freshman
Sarah Rhiel found her on the set piece. Rhiel's cross found McDonald elevating over the Eagles defenders for the score, her second of the season.
With a 2-0 advantage, the Christopher Newport defense allowed only one more shot on-goal in the contest as they locked down another clean sheet. The shutout streak, currently clocking at just over 375 minutes this season, is the fourth longest run in the last 10 years for the Captains.
Christopher Newport improved to 6-1-0 in home openers under head coach
Dan Weiler, who secured his 100th career victory for the Captains earlier in the week against Virginia Wesleyan University. He is now 101-19-9 for a winning percentage of 81.8%.
Christopher Newport will return to action to close out the 2019 Captains Invite on Sunday evening, set to take on Dickinson College (2-0-1) at 5:00 pm on Captains Field. The Red Devils played to a 1-1 draw against Virginia Wesleyan in game two of the tournament. Live stats and a live video webcast will be available at the start of the action.
