Captains riding 43-game unbeaten streak

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) – The Christopher Newport and Virginia Wesleyan women’s soccer teams have reached the Sweet 16 of the Division III NCAA tournament and will both be in action Saturday at Captains Field.

No. 3 Christopher Newport (18-0-2), with a 43-match unbeaten streak, hosts No. 9 Trinity (21-0-2) – unbeaten in its past 23 matches – out of Texas at 1 p.m. in a matchup of unbeaten teams, while Virginia Wesleyan (17-2-3) plays No. 13 Wisconsin-LaCrosse (21-1-1) in the game that follows at 3:30 p.m.

The winners of those games will play one another at 3 p.m. Sunday at Captains Field. Tickets for the postseason event are $8 for adults and $5 for children.

The Captains gave Trinity its last loss in the same round of last year’s Division III championships, with Riley Cook scoring the game winner in the 86th minute. This season, Trinity’s Tigers have allowed just three goals, while the Captains have allowed just seven.

Christopher Newport’s attack is led by fifth-year senior and Norfolk-native Sarah Smith, who has 11 goals and an assist this season, while Emma Ricci and Corinne Kulik each has scored four goals this season.

Trinity is led by a pair of 19-goal scorers, Michaela Bosco and Molly Sheridan.

Depending on the outcome of the games, there could be a matchup of Hampton Roads schools for a berth in the Final Four Dec. 2-4 in Salem.

Virginia Wesleyan’s Marlins, which reached the Sweet 16 for the first time in 16 years, when it made a run to the Final Four in 2006, defeated Puget Sound 3-0 and Rowan County 1-0 to get to this point, and are led by freshman Shyenne Diaz (Landstown HS, Virginia Rush, Virginia Beach), who has 12 goals and two assists,

Marlins sophomore Alexis Miller has seven goals and eight assists this season. Junior goalkeeper Rachel Quigley has allowed just nine goals and has nine shutouts in 21 games.

Wisconsin-Whitewater is led by Ainsley Allan with 15 goals.