While Christopher Newport looks forward to the return of intercollegiate competitions, our friends at TowneBank are partnering with CNUsports.com to spend some time throughout the fall semester looking back at a few of the more memorable moments in the storied history of the athletic department. Over the course of the next three months, the Captains will honor the anniversary of three dozen record-setting accomplishments, championship-clinching victories, and other historic events in order to celebrate the past while preparing for even more great moments in the future.
 
AT A GLANCE
 
"Honestly, words can't describe the feeling." In the postgame press conference, senior All-American Gabby Gillis failed to articulate what it meant emotionally, but through her play, alongside the rest of the 2018 Christopher Newport women's soccer team, it was quite clear the impact a one-nil victory on November 17, 2018 had on Captains history. Taking on a familiar and formidable foe in the team's second ever appearance in the NCAA Division III Sectional Championship Game, the CNU women's soccer team edged out nationally-ranked Lynchburg at Captains Field to advance to the program's first ever national semifinals. Gillis, as one would guess, was as integral to the milestone victory as she had been to most of the record-breaking 71 wins throughout her storied career, when she set up the game-winning goal through Riley Cook in the 82^nd minute of action.
 
BACKSTORY
The target was fixated on Christopher Newport's back at this point, as head coach Dan Weiler had established the Captains as one of the nation's top teams over the course of his tenure in Newport News. For six years, Weiler and the rest of his award-winning coaching staff built the foundation with players who came before the 2018 season; starting with conference dominance, constructing a regional power.
 
In his first two seasons, the Captains reached the first round of the NCAA Tournament and then in the next two trips, CNU advanced to the second round. That would set up an historic run in 2018 with a veteran squad coming off a phenomenal 2017 season. In 2017, CNU women's soccer was 19-1-1 and allowed a meager 12 goals while scoring a program-record 77. The season came to a bittersweet ending in the second round, however, when none other than Lynchburg College ousted the Captains from the postseason with a 2-1 second round battle.
 
Then, in 2018, the only loss during the regular season also came at the hands of the Hornets. After starting the season with a 5-0-0 record, Christopher Newport traveled to Lynchburg for a top-25 battle and ended up suffering another 2-1 setback. After, the Captains wouldn't lose again heading into the rematch on November 17 – ripping off 16 straight victories including three to start the NCAA Tournament.
 
With the rivalry matchup reset, the Captains urged revenge stay at the back of their minds, attempting to avoid distraction from the obvious parallel storyline. Whether anyone on the sideline or on the pitch that night actually was able to clear their minds of the previous matchups, no one will ever know – but what we know in retrospect is that redemption was won.
 
ABOUT THE OPPOSITION
Established as one of the premier Division III programs in the nation, Lynchburg and Christopher Newport were wildly familiar with eachother by the time this game was played. It would be the third time the teams would battle in the postseason serving as the rubber match; the Captains won in the Round of 16 during the 2004 season and as mentioned, the Hornets picked up the 2017 second round victory.
 
Coming into the game, Christopher Newport had only won four times in 18 previous battles with the cross-state rival. Looking closer at the matchup, Lynchburg had won 10 of the previous 11 games against the Captains.
 
The Hornets consistently feature one of the top defensive units nationally, but in 2018 it was Caitlin Mertens and a dangerous attack that led Lynchburg back to the final eight. Lynchburg ranked third nationally in total goals scored with 83 during the 2018 season, including 29 scored by Mertens alone. Stifling this attack would not be easy as the Hornets had been shut out only twice in their previous 25 games during the season.
 
GAME RECAP
Playing in front of a record-breaking crowd at Captains Field on a chilly Saturday night, the 11^th ranked Christopher Newport women's soccer team made program history with a 1-0 win over the 17^th-ranked University of Lynchburg, advancing to the team's first ever national semifinals. The game-winning goal came with less than ten minutes remaining in the thrilling, hard-fought contest, as senior Gabby Gillis set up sophomore Riley Cook for the score.
 
Christopher Newport added to their record win total for a season while improving to 21-1-0 overall and earned the victory in just the second ever national quarterfinal appearance. Powered by the redemptive win over Lynchburg, the Captains advanced to the finals site for the first time.
 
The game was back and forth with both teams creating quality chances offensively while both defensive units made impressive stops. For the first time during the historic 2018 campaign, a team outshot the high-powered Captains attack, as Lynchburg notched 22 shots to CNU's 17. That included an 11-7 edge in shots on-goal, but sophomore goalkeeper Haley Eiser was up to the task. In one of the most impressive goalkeeping performances in CNU lore, Eiser made a career-high 11 saves including several game-saving moments. The defense in front of her, led by sophomore center back Lulu Manley and juniors Shaye Doherty and Keiley McCarthy, weathered the formidable swarming offense of Lynchburg and kept the Hornets off the board.
 
Offensively, the Captains turned to their senior leader to create the game-winning opportunity. After a Lynchburg goal kick was corralled by Gillis in the midfield, the two-time CAC Player of the Year put on a show dribbling up the field. After racing toward the corner with one defender, she won a 50-50 ball against a second defender and split the two headed for the goal line. Her next touch was nearly too long, but it brought out Lynchburg keeper Delia LoSapio. When the ball squirted loose, Gillis was able to get her toe on it for a touch back to Riley Cook, wide open in the middle of the box. Ripping home her 25^th goal of the season and quite possibly the most dramatic tally of her career, Cook's left footer would hold up as her record 12^th game-winning strike of the season.
 
Watch the historic goal here:

 

POSTSCRIPT
As an individual Cook's goal extended an absolutely absurd streak of 16 straight games with at least one point scored and a roll of 11 straight games with a goal scored. She joined a list started by Olympic legend Brandi Chastain in 1990 that includes just 26 players in the history of NCAA women's soccer of players to score a goal in at least 11 straight games.
 
As a team, Cook's goal extended an absolutely phenomenal season deeper than ever before as the Captains advanced to play at the UNC Greensboro Soccer Stadium for the 2018 NCAA Division III National Semifinals.
 
As one of the most cohesive units to ever don a Christopher Newport uniform, the Captains would fall short of their goal of sending off senior Gabby Gillis with a national championship, falling to the eventual hardware recipients from Williams College in the Final Four. But the career-defining moment came two weeks prior when Gillis put the team on her shoulders and lifted the Captains to the win in front of over 900 of her closest friends.
 
She closed her career as inarguably one of the best players in program history. Gillis hauled in D3soccer.com National Midfielder of the Year honors and was also the United Soccer Coaches National Scholar Player of the Year. Among her many recognitions was her second All-American plaque, Conference Female Athlete of the Year, and the league nominee for the 2019 NCAA Woman of the Year award. The four-time All-Conference selection set career highs in every offensive category as she saved her best season for last, scoring 41 points on 15 goals and 11 assists.
 
Beyond just Gillis and Cook, the Captains featured one of the most well-rounded rosters ever. Rounding out the program's finest season with an appearance in the national semifinals, the Captains won a record 21 games while also setting a new standard for points scored in a season. Sophomore Maxine Borris, rookie Kristina Toms, and junior Carson Pokorny were all key cogs to an offense that averaged 3.29 goals per game. Defensively, the Captains allowed just 14 goals in 23 games for one of the top units ever. Shaye Doherty, Keiley McCarthy, Lulu Manley, and, in goal, Haley Eiser, helped the Captains notch 11 shutouts and gave up more than one goal in a game only once.
 
Pairing that suffocating defense with a relentless offense held scoreless only once all year, the Captains were one of the finest teams on the pitch in Division III. Under Weiler's guidance, CNU earned the top ranking in the region and the coaching staff was named the South Atlantic Staff of the Year. In the final rankings, Christopher Newport finished at No. 4 – unsurprisingly another first, and the highest national ranking in program history.
 
For a full listing of the fall 2020 features published to date, click here.