LA CROSSE, Wis. – History! The Christopher Newport women's soccer team has set the NCAA Division III Soccer record for consecutive games without a loss following a 3-1 win on a sun-splashed afternoon at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. The Captains have now accumulated a run of 74 straight games without a loss, becoming just the second program in NCAA history and the first in Division III to reach as many games consecutively without a loss on the ledger.
Making the historical run even more impressive and unprecedented, head coach
Jamie Gunderson continues his own streak simultaneously as he has yet to lose in his career. CNU has posted a 66-0-8 overall record since Gunderson was tapped the seventh head coach in program history prior to the 2021 season, earning his first head coaching gig. No coach in NCAA soccer history has come close to starting his or her career with such a hot start over the first 74 games.
As a team, CNU won the 2021 NCAA Championship with a 22-0-1 overall record. Then, in back-to-back years, the Captains went 19-0-3 and closed out the year in the NCAA Quarterfinals with a draw that ended in elimination via a PK shootout. This year, the Captains have won six in a row on route to a 6-0-1 overall record and are ranked No. 4 in the nation. All combined, that totals a comprehensive record that means no player currently on the CNU roster has ever felt the sting of a notch in the loss column.
The historic win came courtesy of two goals in just over 90 seconds in the first half. In fact, all three first-half goals were scored in the same one minute, thirty-seven seconds in the first half as the flurry resulted in Christopher Newport taking a 2-1 lead. First,
Hanna Heaton created from midfield with no passing lanes available. She drove through a pair of defenders before turning back to her left and sliding a pass for
Emma Ricci driving into the box; an Eagles defender collided with Ricci right at the top of the box and rewarded CNU a free kick right at 18 or 19 yards out. Heaton stepped up and delivered a dart directly over the wall and into the back of the netting for her fifth goal of the season.
After the home team equalized on a broken play just 24 seconds later, the Captains quickly responded themselves.
Kyleigh Gough sent a pass down the left sideline for
Corinne Kulik, who collected and drew a second defender, pulled back and passed a cross into the box for
Katy Bronski. The sophomore chested down the ball, spun, and lifted another pass across the goal mouth where it found Ricci for one touch and a shot inside the six.
Ricci's first goal of the season held up as the game-winning goal in a battle between two of the top teams in Division III. UW-La Crosse is receiving votes in this week's United Soccer Coaches Division III National Rankings while the Captains are ranked No. 4 in the nation.
After the momentary lapse in the first half, the stalwart CNU defense continued to lock down against the Eagles attack, surrendering just the two shots on-goal in the entire game. Senior goalkeeper
Jaya Daniel, making her first start since the season opener, played the full 90 minutes and earned the win for CNU.
Reanna Slater,
Bella DiTommaso, and
Nyah Savage each played full time on the back line to secure the sixth straight win for the Captains.
An insurance goal came in the 75
th minute on an absolutely lethal shot from Heaton on a tough angle from long distance. Kulik created the chance by rushing the La Crosse goalkeeper into a failed clearance, but Heaton reached the loose ball, dribbled by a defender with a nifty touch and went right toward the goal line on the right side of the field. From just under 25 yards out, she pocketed her right-footed laser over the outstretched hands of the keeper for the score.
Christopher Newport will have just a couple days to celebrate the momentous victory as they return to action on Sunday, September 29 against UW-Eau Claire. Kickoff against Eau Claire is slated for 10:30 a.m. locally, 11:30 p.m. ET.
