GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Taking advantage of a key moment late in the first half, Christopher Newport freshman
Grace Shifflett put away the game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory over No. 10 Emory on Saturday morning while playing in a neutral site contest at Guilford College. The ninth-ranked CNU women's soccer team earned a top-ten win when
Bella Ventimiglia set up Shifflett for the strike with just 11 ticks remaining in the opening stanza.
The Captains picked up a key win against the Eagles by dominating the action going forward in the first half. CNU held Emory without a shot in the first 45 minutes while taking seven, including two on goal, of their own. By the end of the contest, CNU held a 13-7 advantage in shots with a 6-3 edge in shots on target. CNU is now 4-0-1 on the season while Emory drops to 3-1-0.
The winner came off the foot of the freshman on the final chance of the first half.
Lexi Hazelgrove and
Ellie Cox combined to get possession under control near midfield with about 30 seconds remaining. Then, Hazelgrove blasted a long pass up the middle for Ventimiglia inside the box. The Emory keeper came out to challenge and gave up the goalmouth for the Captains effort; Ventimiglia had a first shot blocked before spinning and touching a soft left-footed pass to Shifflett for an open look. The rookie made sure the attempt was true, blistering a right-footed liner inside the left pocket of the netting.
It was the first career goal for Shifflett in just her third career game. Ventimiglia gets her first point of the season with the assist.
Taking a 1-0 lead into halftime, the Captains were able to hold down one of Division III's top offenses, limiting Emory to just seven total shots and keeping them off the scoreboard. The CNU defense, led by
Reanna Slater,
Nyah Savage, and
Bella DiTommaso, earned the team's fourth shutout of the season in front of sophomore goalkeeper
Amy Sidaway. Coming into Saturday's game, Emory was averaging 5.0 goals per game and ranked fourth in the nation in scoring offense.
The Captains secured the 72nd straight game without a loss, closing to within one game of the NCAA Division III record of 73 set by Messiah. CNU is now 64-0-8 in three-plus years under head coach
Jamie Gunderson with 54 shutouts in that stretch.
CNU will return to action on Friday, September 20 against Trinity (Texas) for a 5:00 p.m. kickoff.
