KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Continuing to expand on it's record-setting 2021 season, the nationally-ranked and unbeaten Christopher Newport women's soccer team set a new standard Monday afternoon with a record five All-Region selections released by the United Soccer Coaches. For the first time in program history, five Captains hauled in the postseason accolade including another record-shattering mention with her fourth first-team pick for all-time leading scorer Riley Cook. 

Cook was joined on the first team by senior forward Sarah Smith, garnering her first career recognition, and junior defender Jill McDonald, also collecting her first certificate. In the midfield, senior Abby Harrigan snagged her first All-Region selection as a second team honoree and earning her second All-Region plaque in goal was Haley Eiser with a third team nod. 

It marks the fourth consecutive season that Christopher Newport has earned at least four All-Region selections by the coaches' association and also represents the third time that three or more Captains have been named first team All-Region. 

In addition to the team setting the bar higher than ever before, fifth-year standout Riley Cook became the first women's player and only the second CNU player in soccer history, men's or women's, to garner first team All-Region plaudits in each of her four seasons as a Captain. She joins CNU Athletics Hall of Famer Gerard Mosley, who earned the first team pick in the area each season from 1983-86 for the CNU men's team. Additionally, only CNU Athletics Hall of Famer Ashleigh Dota preceded her as a four-time pick on any team, thrice selected as a first team and once a second team pick.

Cook continues to add to an unprecedented resume of success at Christopher Newport with another exceptional season in her final year. She leads the Captains with 48 points on 22 goals and four assists with nine game-winning goals this season. After sliding back to the midfield for her final season, the Captains' all-time leading scorer has cemented her spot as one of the era's top finishers. She is the active leader in goals scored with 88 and has tied the NCAA record for game-winning goals with 33. The Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Cook has logged at least two points in all but six games this season. 

Joining her on the first team are a pair of veteran players with breakout campaigns in 2021. At the top of the Captains' dangerous offense, Sarah Smith burst onto the Division III scene in 2021 with an impressive 19-point campaign. The transfer forward scored eight goals and added three assists while ranking second on the team in goals, points, shots, and game-winning goals. She scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 win over UC Santa Cruz in the C2C Championship Game and added an explosive blast in the NCAA Tournament opening round against Cabrini. 

Also earning first team accolades is Jill McDonald after leading an historically-great defense in 2021. The junior center back has been the lynchpin to a defense that has allowed only seven goals in 21 games this season for a record-shattering 0.33 goals-against average. Utilizing her power and speed, McDonald has been a dominant force to be reckoned with for opposing offenses. Despite missing one game this season, the junior defender leads all field players with 1,716 minutes logged including 15 complete game showings. Led by McDonald, the Captains' defense has surrendered only 6.6 shots per game this season with 14 shutouts. 

Picking up second team All-Region honors as an impact midfielder is Abby Harrigan, one of only three starters returning to the National Semifinals this week. Harrigan started all 21 games and ranked second on the team in minutes played with 1,687 as the Captains' field general in the middle of the park. Play often runs through Harrigan as the CNU attack builds toward a scoring chance and she also provides a veteran savvy defensively. She scored twice this season, including the game-winning goal at Randolph-Macon on September 20, while adding ten total shots on-goal. 

Finally, rounding out the 2021 All-Region selections for Christopher Newport is two-time selection Haley Eiser in goal. The Captains' all-time leading goalkeeper in nearly every statistical measure, Eiser is putting the finishing touches on a remarkable career between the pipes for Christopher Newport. This season, Eiser has played over 1,733 minutes and has allowed just five goals for a 0.26 goals-against average. She has a .921 save percentage while posting 19 wins and 12 solo shutouts along the way. Heading into the NCAA Tournament, Eiser ranked third nationally in save percentage and sixth overall in goals-against average while posting the fifth most clean sheets on the year. 

In her career, the third team All-Region selection is the all-time leader in victories (52), goals-against average (0.50), save percentage (.867), shutouts (30), and total starts (63). She has an all-time record of 52-4-4 and is two saves shy of the all-time record of 198 set by Meghan Gumbs from 2009-12. 

The five All-Region selections and the rest of the Christopher Newport women's soccer team will return to action this Friday, December 3 as they take on ninth-ranked Loras College (21-0-1) in the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer National Semifinals. 
 

2021 NCAA Division III Women's Region VI

First Team
Pos	Name	Class	School	Hometown
K	Jonelle Barron	Jr.	Centre College	Wellington, Fla.
D	Lily Dresner	Sr.	Emory University	Los Angeles, Calif.
D	Jillian McDonald	Jr.	Christopher Newport University	Fredericksburg, Va.
D	Cameron Zak	Sr.	Centre College	Grosse Pointe, Mich.
M	Riley Cook	Sr.	Christopher Newport University	Mechanicsville, Va.
M	Erin Hoeh	Sr.	Washington & Lee University	Chesterland, Ohio
M	Hannah Randolph	Sr.	Bridgewater College	Woodbridge, Va.
M	Megan Sideaway	So.	Centre College	Shelby Township, Mich.
F	Taylor Gebhart	Sr.	Centre College	Cincinnati, Ohio
F	Ashley Sabatino	So.	Bridgewater College	Scarborough, Maine
F	Sarah Smith	Sr.	Christopher Newport University	Norfolk, Va.
Second Team
Pos	Name	Class	School	Hometown
K	Sydney Davis	Sr.	Bridgewater College	Arlington, Va.
D	Sam Crawford	Jr.	Virginia Wesleyan University	Bensalem, Pa.
D	Maren Dougherty	So	Bridgewater College	Exton, Pa.
D	Chloe Rapier	Sr.	Washington and Lee University	Chandler, Ariz.
D	Brooke Smithson	Sr.	Centre College	San Antonio, Texas
M	Alix Allen	Sr.	University of Lynchburg	Virginia Beach, Va.
M	Abigail Harrigan	Sr.	Christopher Newport University	Stafford, Va.
M	Samantha Hilsee	Sr.	Emory University	Windermere, Fla.
M	Maggie O'Hare	So.	Sewanee-University of the South	Birmingham, Ala.
F	Kailey Burrell	Sr.	Covenant College	Trenton, Ga.
F	Alli Cundiff	Sr.	Rhodes College	Hopkinsville, Ky.
F	Kylie Hall	Jr.	Emory University	Phoenix, Ariz.
F	Morgan O'Neill	So.	Roanoke College	Morristown, N.J.
Third Team
Pos	Name	Class	School	Hometown
K	Haley Eiser	Sr.	Christopher Newport University	Richmond, Va.
D	Mia Clary	Jr.	Roanoke College	Phoenix, Md.
D	Claire Lloyd	Fr.	University of Lynchburg	Virginia Beach, Va.
D	Lexi Reeves	Sr.	Maryville College	Knoxville, Tenn.
D	Katelyn Smith	Sr.	Piedmont College	Alpharetta, Ga.
M	Kennedi Anders	Sr.	Virginia Wesleyan University	Allen, Texas
M	Kaylee King	Jr.	Piedmont College	Loganville, Ga.
M	Anya Ranaraja	Jr.	Rhodes College	Little Rock, Ark.
M	Taylor Smith	Sr.	University of Lynchburg	Chesapeake, Va.
F	Annie Ammons	Jr.	Mary Baldwin University	Moyock, N.C.
F	Olivia McBerry	So.	Emory University	Bethesda, Md.
F	Breacain McClenahan	Fr.	Virginia Wesleyan University	Lumberton, N.J.
F	Oliva Rhodes	Jr.	Sewanee-University of the South	Friendswood, Texas