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GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The 2021 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer National Semifinals are set to begin at 11:00 a.m. on Friday morning as the nationally-ranked Christopher Newport Captains take on the Loras College Duhawks (21-0-2). Immediately following, top-ranked TCNJ (20-0-2) will face off against Wesleyan (18-1-2) as the two winning teams will then advance to the national championship game on Saturday.
Christopher Newport enters the weekend with a program record 21-game unbeaten streak with a 20-0-1 overall record this season. The fifth-ranked Captains take on the ninth-ranked Duhawks in CNU's second national semifinal appearance while Loras is making the program's first ever Final Four showing. The talented field vying for the national title has combined for an overall record of 79-1-7 (.948) and the two victorious semifinalists will take the field at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday to raise the walnut and bronze.
The games will be played at the UNCG Soccer Stadium in Greensboro, North Carolina with ticket prices set at $15 per adult for an all session pass and $10 per for a single game ticket. To purchase tickets, contact the UNCG Ticket Office at 336-334-3250 or at icatix@uncg.edu. Game day tickets will also be available to purchase at the main gate.
For fans unable to attend in person, the game will be presented live on a video webcast with live stats at NCAA.com. The link to the stream can be found at the top of this page and on the women's soccer schedule at CNUsports.com.
The Captains advanced to the national semifinals behind a dominant tournament performance by first team All-American
Riley Cook, scoring five of the Captains' six goals in this year's postseason event. CNU defeated Cabrini, 2-0, in the opening round before dispatching of Franklin & Marshall in the second round, 1-0. In the sectional championship weekend, Christopher Newport downed No. 24 Trinity (Texas), 1-0, before capturing a 2-1 win against No. 16 Chicago in the national quarterfinals.
Loras is making the team's first final four appearance after defeating No. 13 Centre, 2-0, and the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse in a penalty kick shootout during their sectional final. The team is led by Payton McDonnell, the nation's leader in assists, while four different Duhawks collected All-Region plaudits. McDonnell has a program-record 24 helpers this year, leading a scoring offense that ranks 13th nationally with 3.16 goals per game heading into the postseason.
Christopher Newport will look to slow that attack with one of the nation's top defensive units this season. The Captains have allowed just seven goals with All-Region goalkeeper
Haley Eiser leading another dominant campaign by the defense. CNU ranked eighth nationally in goals-against average and save percentage heading into the NCAA Tournament and have picked up three more shutouts in the next four games. Playing in front of her is first team All-Region defender
Jill McDonald with rookie
Re Slater in the middle and
Nyah Savage and
Sarah Rhiel on the outside. The Captains' defensive group has allowed just 6.6 shots per game this season and is allowing a single goal once every three games.
Offensively, Cook leads the dangerous and deep attack with 48 points on 22 goals and four assists. Late Wednesday, she became the first player, men's or women's, in any sport at Christopher Newport to garner first team All-America honors three or more times in her career. She will be joined in the attacking third by fellow All-American
Sarah Smith, who collected third team plaudits on Wednesday night.
The Captains and Duhawks take the field first as four national semifinal games will be played in Greensboro. After the two women's semifinal games, the Division III men's national semifinals will be played on the same field. On Saturday, the championship doubleheader will open with the women at 2:30 followed immediately by the men's national title game.
