VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- For the third game to start the 2022 season, the top-ranked Christopher Newport women's soccer team will travel to Foster Field on the campus of Virginia Wesleyan University when they kick off against the host Marlins at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday night. The Captains (1-0-1) and Marlins (2-0-0) each played No. 19 McDaniel College and the College of Saint Benedict in the opening weekend as part of the Marlin Invitational.
All of the action will be available live online via a webcast and live statistics presentation provided by Virginia Wesleyan University. Links to both can be found on the women's soccer schedule at CNUsports.com.
Wednesday night's matchup serves as the next chapter in the longest standing rivalry in program history as the two teams will pair against each other for the 27th time. The cross-water rivals have faced off at least once in every season since the start of the CNU women's soccer program in 1997 and Virginia Wesleyan holds a 13-9-4 all-time advantage in the series. Last season, the eventual national champions earned a 3-0 win over the Marlins to extend a four-match unbeaten streak against Virginia Wesleyan dating back to 2017 (3-0-1).
The Captains defense has led the way thus far in 2022 with senior
Jill McDonald garnering Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week accolades. While facing McDaniel and Saint Benedict, the Captains managed two shutouts and surrendered just four shots on-goal. Rookie goalkeeper
Abby Ochs earned the victories in the first two starts, becoming the first goalkeeper since Haley Casanova in 2013 to notch shutouts in her first two career appearances.
On the offensive end, junior midfielder
Emma Ricci notched the only goal of the weekend for Christopher Newport, heading home a shot after passes from
Sarah Rhiel and
Molly Beegle on a corner kick. Senior
Sarah Smith has led the way with five total shots while senior midfielder
Emily Talotta has added four.
Virginia Wesleyan will counter with the ODAC Player of the Week Shyenne Diaz as the rookie forward scored the game-winning goal against both McDaniel and Saint Benedict. Alexis Miller and Lexi Soteriou each had assists for the Marlins offense while the back line held for two shutouts as well. Rachel Quigley earned both clean sheets with 11 saves over the weekend.
Following the Wednesday night matchup, the Captains will head home to Newport News for the first home games of the season this weekend when they host Susquehanna University and Methodist University in the Captains Classic.
