MONTCLAIR, N.J. -- Matching the fourth most wins in a season in program history, the third-ranked Christopher Newport women's soccer team improved to 17-0-2 with a dominant first-round victory over John Jay College (11-3-2) on Saturday afternoon, advancing to the second round of the 2022 NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament. The Captains scored six goals from six different players including a five-goal outburst after half to run away with the opening-round win, 6-0. 

Highlighting a dominant postseason effort on both sides of the ball was the final shot count as Christopher Newport piled up 27 shots including 18 on goal while the defense did not surrender a single attempt or corner kick to John Jay in the victory. Goalkeepers Jaya Daniel and Abby Ochs combined on the shutout, but the work was done in front of her as the defense and midfield stymied the Bloodhounds attack all afternoon. 

Not one CNU player logged more than 72 minutes of action as defenders Nyah Savage and Re Slater led the way in field time on Saturday. Fellow back line starters Jill McDonald and Sarah Rhiel contributed to the dominant defensive display, along with reserves Courtney Ennis and Jackie Stallard. 

On the offensive end, CNU scored one goal in the first and five more after the break. Fifth-year senior midfielder Emily Talotta notched her second straight game-winning goal when she netted her 21st minute winner on a nice solo play. The tactful midfielder worked her way around the left side of the field with the ball, cutting into the middle before finding a seam in the defense and smashing a hard shot into the right side of the goal for the go-ahead score. 

It would prove to be the only goal in the first 45 minutes, but a preview of more to come as Christopher Newport jumped on John Jay in the second half. Less than five minutes into the stanza, rookie Kate Eissenberg settled the ball in the box and found the back of the net for the first time in her career. She then assisted on the third goal of the match just under three minutes later when her shot was saved but the rebound found Sarah Smith alone on the back side for an open-net goal. 

The tally for Smith was the 10th of her season as she joins Riley Cook, Gabby Gillis, and Victoria Perry as the only players with back-to-back 20-point seasons in the last decade. The goal was the first for the Captains' leading scorer since October 4, 2022 when she scored the winner against Lynchburg before suffering a foot injury that kept her out of a five-game stretch in October and November. 

Christopher Newport made it 4-0 with the third goal of the first 15 minutes in the second half on a nice combination from rookie Molly Seventko to junior Corinne Kulik. A long pass from Ellie Cox toward the end line nearly trickled out of bounds before Seventko used her speed to sprint beyond the defense and save the ball from going out. She turned inside and crossed a pass for Kulik in the middle of the box and the junior forward paid off the hustle with a pretty goal into the netting. Seventko was also returning from an injury after nearly a month off and quickly made an impact on the CNU offense. 

In the 64th minute, Molly Beegle was credited with the fifth goal after rebounding a save in the box. The senior now has three goals and one assist this year. Rounding out the offensive explosion in the second half was a late tally from Natalie Swarm to Abby Pogreba. Swarm beat a defender down the left side and dribbled into the box near the goal line. She slipped a pass inside for Pogreba who settled the pass and smashed home her second career score. 

Christopher Newport will now face No. 12 Montclair State University on Sunday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. The second round winner will advance to play in next week's sectional round. Live stats and a live video webcast for all the action on Sunday will be available -- links to both can be found on the women's soccer schedule at CNUsports.com.