NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- After escaping an early scare by the United States Merchant Marine Academy (0-1-0) that forced All-Region goalkeeper Amy Sidaway to make a highlight-reel save, the third-ranked Christopher Newport women's soccer team recuperated and rallied for a dominating performance on opening day. The Captains (1-0-0) rolled to a 3-0 win at home while outshooting the Mariners by a final count of 38-3. 

CNU picked up a shutout in the first game of the season and added another game to the longest streak of consecutive home games without a loss in program history. With 46 straight games without a loss at Captains Field dating back to September 11, 2021, Christopher Newport has the longest active run and the 11th longest streak in Division III history. 

Sidaway locked up the shutout needing to make just the one save, but the CNU junior needed every inch of her 5-10 frame to leap and punch away a hard shot from Sakura Lopez in just the second minute of action. Alexx Forman added a second shot on the rebound moments later, but the early surge would not last as the Christopher Newport defense fortified for the remainder of the contest. Sidaway secured her 23rd career shutout and moved into a tie for third all-time with Erin Wojtkun. 

Featuring a pair of rookies, Addy Hennessy and Malayah Warner, alongside veteran back Bella DiTommaso, the CNU defense held the Mariners to just a single attempt, off target, in the final 79:51 of the game. And while the three were suffocating on defense, each added an offensive highlight to the game as well as all three secured assists in the game.

Two of those would come on the game-winning goal in the 24th minute of action when DiTommaso combined with Hennessy to set up Alex Devers for the scoring strike. The junior started the play from the back by switching to Hennessy on the right side and the rookie took one touch before placing a perfect ball into the box on the right side. Devers, the junior forward from Upper Dublin, Pa., blazed by her defender and needed only to beat the goalkeeper. She smashed a low drive under the keeper into the left side of the goal and picked up her first goal of the season and her fifth career gamewinner. 

The Captains carried a 1-0 lead into the break but would double that advantage in speedy fashion at the start of the second half. Despite not having the opening kickoff of the second period, Christopher Newport notched the second goal of the game just 15 seconds in as senior All-American Hanna Heaton found the back of the net for the first time this season. Heaton intercepted a pass intended for the back line right at the top of the box and laced a drive into the left side of the netting to beat the USMMA keeper. Scoring just 15 seconds into the second half, it marks the second fastest goal to start a half in CNU Women's Soccer history behind Nikki Greenberg's 14-second effort against TCNJ on September 5, 2004. It also stands as only the third goal ever scored in the first 30 seconds of the second half by a CNU player as Heaton added her goal to a list started by Natalie Stallings from Paniz Asgari (45:16) in 2002 and joined by Riley Cook from Jessica Zimmermann (45:21) in 2021. 

With a 2-0 lead in hand, the Captains continued to pressure the Mariners goalkeeper, Eva Fields. With a dozen shots on target in the second half, Fields -- a Williamsburg, Va. native -- made a number of sensational stops to limit the Christopher Newport offense. A third goal would come through in the 65th minute, though, as Grace Shifflett connected on a long attempt from the middle of the field. Rookie center back Malayah Warner played a pass through the middle to Lexi Hazelgrove, who shuffled a quick touch up to Shifflett. The sophomore forward looked up and noticed Fields playing a little too high and lofted a well-placed left-footed chance over and in. 

The Captains took 38 total shots in the game, putting 20 on frame as Fields finished with 17 saves. CNU outshot the visitors by a total of 24-0 in the second half. 

The game served as the CNU debut for a number of players including the aforementioned Hennessy and Warner. In addition to the starting rookies, freshmen Julia Joyner and Saige Berta came off the bench to provide key minutes on the outside while transfer midfielder McKenna Kolasch also made her first career appearance for the Captains. 

Christopher Newport will return to action on Sunday afternoon as the Captains will host the College of Saint Benedict (0-1-0) at 12:00 p.m. Live stats and a live video webcast will be available online. The Bennies dropped their opener at Virginia Wesleyan on Friday night, 3-0.