SALEM, Va. -- The Christopher Newport defense logged the seventh shutout of the season in a 1-0 win on the road Saturday afternoon as the Captains slogged through rainy weather for 90 minutes at Kerr Stadium against the Roanoke College Maroons. Junior
Grace Shifflett scored the gamewinner in the 22nd minute and the lone score would hold upa s CNU improved to 6-1-3 on the season.
The game was delayed an hour before kickoff due to heavy rainfall in the area and teams endured wet conditions throughout the match. Partially because of the slick track, the teams struggled to move the ball for many offensive opportunities with only 11 total shots taken in the game. The Captains took six, including four by Shifflett, while the CNU defense held the Maroons, now 5-3-3 on the season, to just five total attempts.
Heading into the matchup on Saturday, the Captains already ranked among the nation's elite defenses with a .667 shutout percentage. Adding another clean sheet against Roanoke improved that mark to .700 and moving up into the top-15 in Division III this season. In goal for all 90 minutes again on Saturday, senior goalkeeper
Amy Sidaway secured her 40th career shutout and continues to lead all active players across all three levels of the NCAA with a .588 career shutout percentage.
Sidaway needed to make four saves in Saturday's win. The defense was led by
Catie Borsuk,
Nora Cook,
Bella DiTommaso, and
Malayah Warner as the back line played all 90 minutes in the close game. The CNU defense did not allow a single shot after the 54th minute, locking down Roanoke's comeback bid before it could mount.
The Captains' score came in the 22nd minute when rookie
Caelyn LaFlamme played a ball forward to
Grace Shifflett. Shifflett ripped a shot low under the goalkeeper into the center of the netting for the score, her second winner of the season. LaFlamme's second assist is a team-high as well.
Christopher Newport is now off for two weeks as the women's soccer team gets a chance to recuperate before taking on Bridgewater College on the road. CNU will face the Eagles at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 17.
