GREENSBORO, NC (WTKR)- For more than 90 minutes, neither Christopher Newport nor Loras could find the back of the net. Then Riley Cook did what she does.
The fifth year senior scored with just under three minutes gone by in extra time, powering the Captains to the 1-0 victory in the national semifinal. They move on to the first national championship match in program history and will face The College of New Jersey on Saturday at 2:30 PM.
Emma Ricci delivered the perfect pass to Cook in the middle, who put the one-touch shot into the right side of the net for the game-winner. It marked Cook's 23rd score of the season and the 34th game-winning shot of her career. She is now the all-time leader in game-winning goals across all NCAA divisions, both men and women.
CNU played a strong game on the other end of the field as well, allowing just two shots on goal, both stopped by Haley Eiser. The Captains also provided the most pressure on the Loras keeper, firing 20 total shots to just eight by their opponent.
Christopher Newport's record improved to 21-0-1 on the season as it handed Loras its first and only defeat of 2021. The CNU women's soccer program, making its second Final Four appearance, becomes just the fourth Captains' program to reach the national championship contest and first since the volleyball squad in 2011.
The Captains face The College of New Jersey, the tournament's top seed, in Greensboro on Saturday at 2:30 PM.
