SALISBURY, Md. -- Winning their tenth straight game to start the season, the fourth-ranked Christopher Newport women's soccer team cruised to a 3-0 victory at Salisbury University (4-6-1) on Wednesday afternoon. The Captains defense sealed up it's seventh shutout of the season while three different players scored goals in the first half for CNU.
WIth the road victory, Christopher Newport improved to 10-0-0 on the season while locking up the team's second win over teams in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference.
In the win, senior goalkeeper
Haley Eiser made a season-high six saves to lock up her sixth solo shutout of the season. With the clean sheet, Eiser notched her 24th career shutout to move into sole possession of second all-time at Christopher Newport. She was previously tied with
Erin Wojtkun for second and now only trails Carly Maglio ('18) with a program record 26 in her career.
Eiser faced seven total shots including six on frame. She made two saves in the first half and four after the intermission. Her defense was led by
Jill McDonald,
Re Slater,
Nyah Savage, and
Sarah Rhiel while
Hannah Karas and
Caroline Davis each added defensive depth off the bench.
While the back line was limiting Salisbury chances all game, the Captains pressed forward time and time again. Three times in the first half, Christopher Newport got by Salisbury goalkeeper Emma Hill for the final tally, 3-0.
The first goal came in the 26th minute off a restart out of bounds on the right side of the field. Rhiel took the throw-in for the Captains and launched a long toss into the box for
Sarah Smith. The veteran forward expertly played her defender at the top of the box, faking left before spinning with the ball toward the inside of the field. With a small window, Smith connected on a blazing shot off her left foot for the eventual game-winning goal.
Rhiel picked up her first assist of the season while Smith scored her fifth goal and second winner.
CNU tacked on two more in the span of just 1:06 between the 33rd and 34th minutes of play. First, just hours after being named the United Soccer Coaches National Player of the Week, senior
Riley Cook continued her offensive tear with her sixth goal in three games. Sophomore
Emma Ricci used her strength to power a short pass through a defender at the top of the box and the ball trickled toward Cook down the middle. She took advantage of the space and smashed home a low bouncer into the left side of the score.
Cook now has nine goals on the season and 20 points, marking the first time a CNU player has registered four 20-point seasons in her career. Ricci notched the first of two assist in the game as she takes over the team lead in helpers this season with four.
Rounding out the scoring just over a minute later was
Ryanne Davidson, picking up her third goal of the year.
Maddie Blake started the play up the right side of the field with a long pass up the line for Ricci. After cutting inside, Ricci played a pass across the top of the box for Davidson who settled and then unleashed a missile into the top of the netting.
CNU outshot the home team, 15-7, while also earning three corner kicks to the Sea Gulls' one. The Captains are now 8-1-2 in the eleven games against Salisbury since joining the conference in 2013.
The Captains now have an extended break until they return to action next Saturday, October 16 against the University of Mary Washington at 1:00 pm in Fredericksburg, Va.
