NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- For only the third time in the 25-year history of Christopher Newport women's soccer, the Captains will advance to the second weekend of the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship after defeating Franklin & Marshall College (14-4-3) in the second round of the tournament on Sunday afternoon. Senior Riley Cook converted a penalty kick in the 56th minute and the defense locked down another shutout as the fifth-ranked Captains improved to 18-0-1 on the season. 

The Round of 16 is set and Christopher Newport will face No. 24 Trinity (Texas) (15-2-2) in the first round of the sectional. The other pairing in the pod will pit No. 16 Chicago against No. 10 Case Western Reserve with game times and location to be determined by the NCAA National Championship Committee. 

With the win, fifth-year senior goalkeeper Haley Eiser earned a milestone 50th career victory for the Captains while picking up the 29th solo shutout of her career. She is only the third goalkeeper in CNU soccer history, men's or women's, to reach 50 career wins in her career. Eiser also has recorded the finest winning percentage in program history with a 50-4-4 record all-time, winning 89.7% of her games played.

In Sunday's second round on another chilly day at Captains Field, Christopher Newport controlled the action moving forward through the bulk of the contest. Within the first minute, senior All-American Riley Cook had rifled a shot on frame that forced Diplomats goalkeeper Emily Senko to make a stop. 

Minutes later, senior Sarah Smith, who scored in the opening round against Cabrini, found herself loose down the right side for a play on the keeper as well. From inside the box, Smith smacked a shot toward Senko and the F&M keeper slid to turn away the shot. 

After the early action, both defenses managed to keep major offensive chances from developing until the 56th minute when CNU defender Nyah Savage received a pass in the box from her teammate. The sophomore made a move toward the middle and her defender took the legs out from Savage and forced a whistle by the referee for a penalty kick. Stepping up to the spot, Cook paid off the hard foul taken by Savage with a goal to put the Captains ahead, 1-0. 

Cook is now 7-for-7 in career penalty kick attempts, adding to an already shattered program record set at two by Emily Renkin (2004-06) and Gabby Gillis (2015-18). She also recorded her 31st career game-winning goal, just two shy of the NCAA Record set by Aurora's Nicci Bermudes with 33. 

Savage was joined in her stellar play on the back line by juniors Jill McDonald, Sarah Rhiel, and rookie Re Slater. Hannah Karas also came on to help secure the clean sheet, which marks only the second time in program history the Captains have recorded multiple shutouts in a single postseason. 

Christopher Newport will now focus it's attention on the Tigers of Trinity University (Texas). CNU has gone 2-1 against Trinity all-time, including a 2-0 win against the then-No. 11-ranked Tigers in the 2019 regular season. Stay tuned to CNUsports.com for announcements from the NCAA about the Captains' game time, location, along with ticket prices and more. 

Post-Game Press Conference: