GREENSBORO, N.C. – The fourth-ranked Christopher Newport women's soccer team ran it's season-opening win streak to 13 on Sunday, taming the Lions of Piedmont College (11-4-3) by a final score of 4-0. The Captains improved to 13-0-0 with scores from four different players at MacPherson Field in Greensboro, N.C. in the neutral site showdown.
 
With the win, head coach Jamie Gunderson ties women's basketball's Bill Broderick for the longest win streak to open a Christopher Newport coaching career.

While the offense tallied four scores, the Christopher Newport defense blanketed the Piedmont attack and limited any chance at scoring on a trio of Captains' goalkeepers. Haley Eiser started and picked up the win while Jaya Daniel and Sydney Buckner each shared the goal in the second half to lock down the clean sheet.

The starting back line of Sarah Rhiel, Re Slater, Jill McDonald, and Nyah Savage did the bulk of the damage against the Piedmont attack, but CNU got contributions from reserves Hannah Karas, Caroline Davis, Lauren Fitzpatrick, and Sabrina Gillis on defense. The key defensive play in the game came in the 59th minute when Piedmont's Kaylee King got behind the Captains defense near the top of the box. In goal, Daniel had come out to receive a potential pass back and was well away from the goalmouth when King ripped a hard liner from close range. The hard shot whistled toward Daniel, but the rookie made a sprawling save from close distance to preserve the shutout. 

On the other end of the field, the dominant Captains attack was on display from the opening whistle to the final horn. CNU outshot Piedmont, 32-2, including 10 shots on frame. Four different players scored goals with Emma Ricci adding a pair of assists while Riley Cook and Savage added one of each. 

Christopher Newport took a quick 1-0 lead in the fifth minute of action when Sarah Smith converted on her third game-winning goal of the season. Savage found her teammate with a beautiful pass that split the Piedmont defense at the top of the box. Smith turned and found herself wide open just 20 yards from the goal. She located the keeper and after one touch, ripped a line drive into the left side of the netting.

Moments later, Sarah Rhiel played a dynamite ball to herself in the corner, splitting a defender and the sideline in the narrowest of margins to get loose for a cross. Her well-executed pass into the box ricocheted to Cook's foot, where a short-range missile was headed for the goal but just snared by the Piedmont keeper.
 
As the offense continued to build chances, the second goal came in the 33rd minute. Ricci and Cook combined for a beautiful give-and-go on the run down the middle of the field to spring Cook free for a shot in the center of the box. Needing to beat only the keeper, the Captains' all-time leading scorer found the back of the net for the 79^th time.
 
Just seconds later, Ricci again set up another tally for the Captains with another gorgeous pass. She took on a defender in the box and drove toward the end line. Reaching the ball before it trickled out of bounds, Ricci sent a hard pass by the keeper toward the back post where Maddie Blake was home to finish.
 
The Captains carried a 3-0 lead through halftime and would tack on one more insurance goal in the second half. It was Cook who started the play this time after winning a one-on-one battle against a Lions defender. She started toward the middle of the field and rocketed a shot off the crossbar; Savage followed her shot with an open goal rip on the back side. It was the second goal in as many games for Savage, who put the Captains ahead 4-0
 
Cook has now scored a goal in six consecutive games, tying Bupe Okeowo and herself for the second longest streak in program history. It is also the third such roll of her career after setting the Captains' record at 11 consecutive games during the 2018 season.

Christopher Newport has two games remaining on the regular season schedule and they will both be played at Captains Field later this week. First, CNU welcomes in Mary Washington on Wednesday, October 27 before Senior Day against Lynchburg on Saturday, October 30. Video and live stats will be available for both contests.