Courtesy of CNU Athletic Communications

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Captains were whistled for just one offsides call all night, but it would prove a crucial judgment as the team's ensuing goal was nullified and momentum shifted for the nationally-ranked Christopher Newport women's soccer team. The Captains were held scoreless for the first time all season as the 5th-ranked Williams College Ephs (18-1-4) scored a goal in each half to defeat CNU, 2-0, in the 2018 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer National Semifinals. 

CNU concludes their magical season with a 21-2-0 overall record as the loss snapped a 16-game winning streak for the Captains. CNU outshot the Ephs by a final tally of 19-11, including four shots on-frame for both squads. 

"It was a great battle. We expected nothing else," said head coach Dan Weiler. "I thought our girls did very well and were very dangerous. I'm really proud of this group. I think this is a special moment for this program, but it came from special people. High character, highly competitive -- we're not going to hang our heads for anything, because I'm really proud of this group."

The Captains controlled most of the offensive action in the contest, including the pivotal non-goal called off in the early stages of the first half. In the tenth minute of action, it looked as if the Captains' top scoring duo had converted the game's first goal on a gorgeous play from Gabby Gillisto Riley Cook. Gillis slipped through a pair of defenders and played a through ball to the top of the box for Cook, who ripped a hard shot into the left side of the netting, but the officials whistled her offsides to wipe out the score. 

Just minutes later, the same tandem managed another great opportunity but Cook's shot was rifled just high over the crossbar. Gillis set up the chance by maneuvering through defenders on the right side and slipped a pass into the middle of the box for Cook off the goal line.

"We knew [the Captains] were coming into this game with incredible individual attacking ability and they were exactly what they thought, they were incredible," said Williams head coach Michelyne Pinard.

Despite the Captains controlling most of the action in the first 20 minutes, it was Williams who converted the game's first goal. On a counter-attack, Ilana Albert took a long-range shot for the Ephs that deflected off of a CNU defender. The ball took a fortuitous bounce for Williams, directly to the foot of Sarah Scire in the box, who converted with her right foot for the score.
 
Early in the second half, it was the Captains who again took advantage of the defense early when Maddie Cochran found a loose ball in the box less than two minutes into the stanza. The sophomore forward ripped a hard shot right off the Williams goalkeeper, Olivia Barnhill, and the Captains forced a second attempt against the defense, but it was blocked away. Then, on the second counter-attacking goal of the day, the Ephs added to their lead in the 53^rd minute when Scire converted on her second tally. A long pass over the defense from Liz Girvan set up the streaking Scire down the field, who beat CNU goalkeeper Haley Eiser to the ball and touched it by the CNU keeper from the top of the box.
 
The Captains put together several solid opportunities as they tried to erase the two-goal deficit, but were unable to convert offensively. In the 57^th minute, a pair of rookies cracked hard shots from just outside the 18. First, Abby Harrigan blistered a hard shot off a defender, whose deflection landed right at the foot of Sabrina Gillis. Gillis ripped a hard shot just high of the goal and CNU remained scoreless. As time waned, Cochran got a solid header on frame, but Barnhill stoned the attempt with less than 18 minutes left in regulation. CNU outshot Williams, 10-4, after halftime as they attempted to close the gap. 

"It's definitely an experience I won't forget," said Gillis. "I never thought at the beginning of this season that this is what the outcome would be. Obviously when you get to this point, you always want that one more game. Even if we had advanced to tomorrow and lost, I would still be just as upset. It's one of those things that's just bittersweet."

Gillis was the leader of the record-breaking Captains this season, and earned first team All-American honors on Thursday night. She played all 90 minutes in her final game as she tied the program record for career games played with 85. The senior midfielder wraps her illustrious career ranked third all-time in career points, with 96, and fourth in career goals, with 38. 

Cook, also a first team All-American, led the Captains in attempts in the national semifinal, taking six shots with one on-goal. CNU set program records for wins in a season, the most points scored as a team and the most assists. 

Williams advances to the 2018 national championship and will face Middlebury College in Saturday's final at 7:00 pm.