NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- After opening the season with a pair of shutouts, the Christopher Newport women's soccer defense earned recognition for its efforts through rookie Addy Hennessy (Norfolk, Va.) as she was named the Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week. Hennessy played all 180 minutes as CNU secured back-to-back clean sheets against Merchant Marine and Saint Benedict. 

Making her collegiate debut against the United States Merchant Marine Academy on Friday, Hennessy quickly made an impact as a newcomer to the CNU lineup with an assist on the game-winning goal in the 24th minute. After receiving a pass from Bella DiTommaso on the back line, Hennessy quickly looked up field and drove a long pass up the right side for Alex Devers. The set up led to the first goal of the season for Christopher Newport and the tally held up as the game-winning strike. 

While adding to the week offensively, Hennessy did the bulk of her work on the back line as the Captains defense was nearly impenetrable. After two shots taken by the Mariners in the first two-and-a-half minutes of the season, Hennessy and the CNU back line only allowed three more shots in the 177 remaining minutes of soccer over the weekend. Both Merchant Marine and Saint Benedict struggled to creat offensive opportunities against the suffocating back line. 

Hennessy joined 2024 starter DiTommaso and fellow rookie Malayah Warner to make up the defense on the first weekend, marking the first lineup in the tenure of head coach Jamie Gunderson that did not include perennial stars Reanna Slater or Nyah Savage. Despite the losses, the strong defense continued as the Captains have now logged 67 shutouts in 92 career games played in his tenure. 

Thanks to the back line's performance, junior goalkeeper Amy Sidaway needed to make just two saves to secure her 23rd and 24th career shutouts. She moved into third all-time at CNU through 41 career games played. 

Christopher Newport will return to action this weekend on Friday, September 5 as the Captains host Mary Hardin-Baylor. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m.