NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Hauling in the highest national ranking of head coach Jamie Gunderson's young career, the undefeated Christopher Newport women's soccer team moved into the top five in this week's United Soccer Coaches Division III National Poll, ranked No. 4 in the nation. 

The Captains are off to a 5-0-0 start for just the third time in program history, including the 2018 campaign that saw Christopher Newport reach the NCAA National Semifinals for the first time. Gunderson was an assistant coach on that squad and has quickly parlayed that experience into a winning formula so far in his first year. 

In the second regular season poll of the year released by the coaches' association, the Captains trail only TCNJ, Johns Hopkins, and Washington University (Mo.) in the poll. CNU leapfrogged Messiah College and Amherst College after ranking No. 6 last week. 

Since last week's poll was released, the Captains made quick work of Roanoke College, 4-1, and also disposed of Randolph-Macon College, 1-0, on Monday night. Looking to keep their sterling record pristine, the Captains will next travel across the country to face UC Santa Cruz on Friday, September 24 at Noon (3 EST) and then Cal Lutheran on Saturday, September 25 at 2:00 pm (5 EST). 

CNU also recently tacked on a pair of games the following week as Sewanee was added to the schedule for a September 30 matchup followed by a makeup game against Virginia Wesleyan on October 3. 

The Captains are one of 19 Division III teams left that are still undefeated. Senior goalkeeper Haley Eiser ranks 26th nationally in goals-against average with a 0.27 mark so far while the Captains have outscored opponents 17-2 through the first five games. 
 

NATIONAL - POLL 2 - SEPTEMBER 21, 2021

Rank	School	Prev	W-L-T
1	The College of New Jersey	2	6-0-0
2	Johns Hopkins University	3	4-0-1
3	Washington University (Mo.)	5	6-0-1
4	Christopher Newport University	6	5-1-0
5	Messiah College	1	3-1-1
6	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	7	6-0-1
7	William Smith College	8	4-1-1
7	Trinity University (Texas)	9	5-0-0
9	University Of Chicago	10	6-0-0
10	Case Western Reserve University	11	6-0-0
11	Tufts University	15	3-0-0
12	Misericordia University	13	6-0-0
13	Wartburg College	14	6-0-1
14	Wesleyan University	18	2-0-0
15	Centre College	16	5-1-1
16	McDaniel College	NR	6-0-0
17	Loras College	20	7-0-1
18	Amherst College	4	4-1-0
19	Pacific Lutheran University	25	6-0-0
20	Carnegie Mellon University	23	6-1-0
21	Dickinson College	19	5-0-0
22	Middlebury College	24	4-1-0
23	St. Lawrence University	21	3-0-2
24	Emory University	NR	6-0-1
25	Pomona-Pitzer Colleges	12	4-0-1

Records shown are through games of Sept. 19, 2021

Also receiving votes: Brandeis University (19), University Of Scranton (10), Western Connecticut State University (8), Calvin University (4), Hanover College (1), Rowan University (1), Rochester Institute Of Technology (1), Washington & Lee University (1)