VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – For the second time in three games the top-ranked Christopher Newport women's soccer team used late-game heroics to capture a one-goal victory on the road as the Captains slipped past Virginia Wesleyan University (2-1-0) by a final score of 2-1. With an impressive second-half performance, capped by a game-winning goal by
Sarah Smith in the 89
th minute, the Captains came from behind to defeat the host Marlins on a humid, warm night at Foster Field.
The Captains held the advantage offensively throughout the contest, outshooting the Marlins by a final count of 24 to 11, but CNU found themselves in a 1-0 hole after a first-half goal by the home team. The lead would not hold, however, as Christopher Newport got second-half goals by
Kenna McCarthy and Smith, along with a pivotal penalty kick save by
Jaya Daniel late in the contest to secure the win.
Early in the second half,
Nyah Savage and Smith each challenged the Virginia Wesleyan goalkeeper, Rachel Quigley, with attempts on frame. McCarthy also had a rip stopped by Quigley in the first few minutes of the second half and
Ellie Cox added a missile off the crossbar as the Captains continued to mount the attack looking for the equalizer. It would come just three minutes after Cox rattled the cage when the Captains turned to McCarthy for her first career goal.
Stalking at the top of the box, the junior midfielder waited as the play developed to her left. Savage found
Jessica Zimmermann on the outside for another blast off the crossbar. As the defense tried to reorganize off the carom, a pass out of the box ricocheted off the back of
Sarah Smith and trickled right to the patiently waiting feet of McCarthy. With no one in front of her, she took one touch and whistled a laser past the diving keeper into the left pocket of the goal.
While the offense continued to push everything forward, the defensive unit continued it's stalwart start to the season. Cox sailed around the midfield, ending Marlin threats before they could begin, while
Jill McDonald and
Kate Eissenberg handled the bulk of the duties on the back line. Savage and
Sarah Rhiel also helped keep the Marlins off the board after the first-half goal.
The game nearly tilted in the 78
th minute when
Jaya Daniel made a game-saving play after being cautioned in the box for a foul, awarding Virginia Wesleyan a penalty kick. Daniel collected herself and readied for the attempt from the spot as the Marlins sent forward Alexis Miller to take the PK. The sophomore shot to her right and Daniel made a fully-sprawled diving save to keep the game knotted at 1-1.
With the huge defensive stop serving as fuel, the Captains offense was re-energized and pushed everything into the attacking third for the bulk of the final ten minutes. With less than two minutes remaining, the strategy paid off, as
Sarah Smith sent CNU fans home with a win. The Norfolk, Va. native received a throw-in from Rhiel on the right side of the field and went to work. She meticulously moved past her first defender before drawing the double-team – as soon as the second defender stepped toward her, the senior forward launched a left-footed rip off the left post and into the goal.
Her first goal of the season lifted CNU to a hard-fought 2-1 win against the cross-water rival Marlins, coming from behind to down the preseason favorites to win the ODAC.
Christopher Newport improved to 2-0-1 on the season and adds another game to the program record unbeaten streak that now sits at 26 consecutive games. That mark stands as the longest streak without a loss in Division III women's soccer since 2017 when Hardin-Simmons capped an unbeaten run of 45 straight games.
Next up, the Captains will play at home for the first time in 2022 as they welcome Susquehanna University and Methodist University this weekend for the Captains Classic. CNU will first play the River Hawks at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 10 before hosting the Monarchs at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 11. Live stats and video will be available for all the action at CNUsports.com.
