NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Fifty straight games. For only the tenth time in NCAA Division III history, a women's soccer team has registered a home unbeaten streak that has reached 50 consecutive games as the third-ranked CNU women's soccer team captured a 2-0 win over Roanoke College (3-3-1) on a soggy Wednesday afternoon. The Captains are now 45-0-5 in their last 50 games in Newport News courtesy of a game-winning penalty kick from Kyleigh Gough and an insurance goal from Lexi Hazelgrove. 

CNU has not lost a game at home since November 6, 2019 -- spanning four-plus seasons including every game coached by Jamie Gunderson. The Captains are the first Division III team to reach 50 straight since Centre in 2022 and are just the sixth to accomplish the feat in the last two decades. In addition to the unbeaten streak, the Captains added another win to Gunderson's career and are now 85-2-10 overall since taking the reins in 2020. 

Christopher Newport improved to 6-0-1 on the season with the win. It was the seventh straight win for CNU over Roanoke College dating back to September 20, 2017.

The victory came in shutout fashion, marking the fifth clean sheet of the year for the Captians and the 70th in the last 97 games. Junior goalkeeper Amy Sidaway earned the 26th shutout of her career to tie Carly Maglio (2014-17) for second all-time at Christopher Newport. Both played in 34 total shutouts with 26 solo efforts. 

Sidaway needed to make just one save in the game, but was challenged several times on corner kick attempts by the Maroons. Needing to showcase her steely resolve in net, Sidaway made several key plays on crosses from the corner as Roanoke attempted a season-high five free kicks from the corner spot. 

Also stepping up on the corner kick attempts was the CNU defense, clearing away several chances. Hazelgrove had a pivotal block in the box on one of the best chances of the day by a Roanoke shooter in the 43rd minute. The Captains back line featured Bella DiTommaso, Malayah Warner, Addy Hennessy, and Nora Cook on Wednesday while Riley Phillips also saw her first action of the season in helping secure the shutout. 

While the back line swallowed up any chances Roanoke mounted in the run of play, the CNU offense was firing on all cylinders early in the action. Addy Hennessy and Alex Devers had early chances just miss before a whistle in the box in the 9th minute provided CNU with a chance to take a first-half lead. Kyleigh Gough had her feet tangled up with a defender and the foul resulted in a penalty kick for the Captains. One of the most reliable players in CNU history from the spot, Gough delivered her fourth career PK goal and snagged her fifth career game-winning strike. She ranks second behind only all-time leader and CNU legend Riley Cook with eight penalty kick goals. 

With the lead, the Captains offense continued to pressure Roanoke with multiple attempts over the next ten minutes. Hanna Heaton had a bender go just wide and Molly Seventko had the first shot on-goal in the 14th minute. Devers and Hennessy added two more attempts as CNU kept the ball in the Roanoke half. 

In the 20th minute of action, a throw-in on the sideline found Seventko backing down her defender in front of the Roanoke bench. With one hesitation move, the CNU senior spun and delivered a pass bouncing into the middle of the field for Hazelgrove, left all alone. Settling the ball with her first touch and then catching the second with the full freight of her right foot, Hazelgrove hammered home her third goal of the season from long distance. 

The chances continued to mount as CNU forced two more saves in the first half and several more chances whistled just wide of the goal. In total, CNU outshot the visitors by a count of 13-4 in the first half. 

CNU carried the 2-0 lead into the second half and the defenses took control from there. One of the best offensive chances came on a corner kick by the Captains as DiTommaso nearly bent in a cross but it was punched away. Katy Bronski also had a late shot turn just too far left as she whipped in a right-footed bender toward the goal. 

Christopher Newport will now focus on another road trip this weekend as the Captains head to No. 15 Washington and Lee University for a Noon kickoff on Saturday, September 20. Following the trip to face the Generals, CNU will return home to take on Catholic next Wednesday, September 24.