DELAWARE, Ohio -- Junior goalkeeper Amy Sidaway recorded a season-high seven saves for the third-ranked Christopher Newport women's soccer team as she helped keep a dangerous Case Western Reserve offense limited while the Captains offense scratched across a game-tying goal in the final ten minutes on Friday night, earning a 1-1 draw. In a top-ten showdown, the Captains surrendered their first goal of the season to the eighth-ranked Spartans (5-0-1), but seniors Hanna Heaton and Molly Seventko connected on a corner kick to equalize with just over seven minutes remaining. 

Playing on a beautiful fall afternoon in Ohio, the Captains and Spartans faced off at the Jay Martin Soccer Complex on the campus of Ohio Wesleyan University for the first time ever in the all-time series. The two perennial powers were locked in evenly matched prize fight that saw each team take control for stretches during the contest. 

In the first half, it was Christopher Newport that had the edge moving forward with a 9-5 advantage in total shots including an early barrage in the first 20 minutes. Heaton, Alex Devers, and Bella DiTommaso all had early attempts while Seventko put the first shot on frame in the 11th minute. Ellie Palaian was up to the task, turning away the first shot on-goal in the game. 

Sidaway snagged her first save in the 26th minute when a cross into the box allowed Julia Flynn to get a shot on target against the Captains. The momentum started to shift in favor of the Spartans as they took three straight shots including a pair stopped by Sidaway.

In the second half, Case Western broke through first with a goal in the 63rd minute of action. Flynn had a pass into the box ricochet off of a defender and right to the foot of Alexis Sassower just inside the box with a clear look at the back post. Despite a fully outstretched diving attempt by Sidaway, Sassower connected on a well-placed shot into the left pocket. 

The goal was the first allowed by the vaunted CNU defense this season and ends a shutout streak that stretched over 420 minutes to start the year. The lead would not hold, though, as the Captains found the game-tying goal in the 83rd minute to avoid the loss. 

Setting up a corner kick from the right side of the field, Heaton surveyed the box and dropped in a picture-perfect cross to the back post. With the ball floating head high, Seventko sprinted through the crowd and hammered home a header for the game-tying tally. 

It was Seventko's team-leading third goal of the season while Heaton secured her second assist of the season. With the helper, the Gloucester, Va. native separated from a four-way tie and took sole ownership of third in career assists in CNU women's soccer history with her 25th. She now trails only Carson Pokorny (32) and Victoria Perry (31) on the all-time chart. 

The Captains having ripped momentum back in their favor controlled the final ten minutes but could not come away with a second goal. Another corner kick in the 84th minute resulted in an anxiety-inducing challenge, but no shot, and minutes later, Devers punctuated the game with another hard rip blocked by a Case Western defender. 

With a 19-14 advantage in total shots, Case Western becomes just the second team to outshoot the CNU women's soccer team in a regular season game since 2019. 

CNU will return to action on Sunday morning when the Captains take on the host Battling Bishops of Ohio Wesleyan University at 11:00 a.m. OWU took on Ohio Northern on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. in the second game of the doubleheader.