GETTYSBURG, Pa. -- With an agile cutback followed by a rocketed shot into the left side of the goal, Christopher Newport junior Emma Ricci put the top-ranked Captains ahead on a sun-splashed fall afternoon in Pennsylvania, helping lift the nation's top-ranked team to a 1-0 win over Gettysburg College. The beautiful goal came in the 72nd minute and propelled the No. 1 CNU women's soccer team to it's tenth straight victory.

With the win, the Captains improve to 11-0-1 on the season and remain one of only 15 Division III programs in the nation without a loss this season. Of course, the Captains' unbeaten streak extends back to the start of the 2021 campaign and has now reached 35 with sole possession of the eighth longest streak of consecutive games without a loss in NCAA Division III history. Next up on the list is Lynchburg from 2011-12 with a 43-match roll.

On Saturday, Ricci's third goal of the season came in the 72nd minute of play and marks the seventh time in 11 wins this season that Christopher Newport has found the gamewinner in the final 20 minutes of action. On her score, Ricci worked across the top of the box with a defender between her and the goal before she stepped on the ball, spun back and created space with the electric move back to her left. With an opening, she wasted no time in launching a line drive for the left side that slammed off the left post and into the goal for the score.

The tally relieved the building pressure Christopher Newport had been applying all game, taking 12 total shots on frame with six in each half. Ricci was leading the charge, taking five total shots with four on target. Ellie Cox added three shots on goal and leading scorer Sarah Smith picked up a pair while Nyah Savage, Emily Talotta, and Molly Beegle each had one apiece.

In total, CNU outshot the home team, 17-7, and only allowed three shots on goal. The biggest chance for the Bullets came in the 61st minute when Gettysburg was awarded a penalty kick against starting goalkeeper Jaya Daniel. The sophomore netminder leaped to her left and tipped the ball off her fingertips forcing the ball to slam off the crossbar as CNU escaped the Gettysburg opportunity. Daniel has now faced, and stopped, three penalty kick chances this season.

The Captains have surrendered just one goal over the last six games and continue to stymie opposing offenses. Daniel has a 0.56 goals-against average while the Captains as a team have a 0.42 mark. CNU has registered eight shutouts in 12 games played while holding teams to just 7.5 shots per game.

Christopher Newport will return to action on Wednesday, October 12 as they travel to Salisbury University for a 4:00 pm kickoff against the Sea Gulls.