NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Following the third consecutive shutout by the top-ranked Christopher Newport women's soccer team, senior center back Jill McDonald has been named the Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week. McDonald assisted on the game-winning goal in the Captains' lone game of the week, helping lift CNU over Salisbury, 2-0. 

It is the second time this season that McDonald has collected the weekly conference honor and the fourth time in seven weeks that a CNU player has been named the Defensive Player of the Week. 

For the second time this season, the Christopher Newport defense has logged a shutout streak of at least three games and will carry that run into Wednesday night's matchup with Mary Washington. CNU has registered six clean sheets in the last seven games and McDonald has been a major part of all seven games, playing the full 90 minutes six times in that run. 

McDonald ranks second on the team in total minutes played and, with her assist on Wednesday, moved up to sixth on the team in scoring with five points. She now has two goals and one assist on the year with one game-winning goal. Against Salisbury, the 5-9 senior defender elevated on a corner kick and headed a pass toward the post where Emma Ricci was there to score the go-ahead goal. 

The Captains extended the program-record unbeaten streak to 35 games, dating back to the start of the 2021 season when McDonald took over a starting spot in the vaunted CNU defense. Since, the Fredericksburg, Va. native has played full time in 26 of those 35 games. With McDonald as the centerpiece of the back line in that stretch, the Captains have a 0.33 goals-against average and and 25 shutouts. This year, CNU has picked up nine shutouts and a 0.38 goals-against average in the first 13 games.

Christopher Newport will return to action on Wednesday evening as part of a doubleheader with the men's team at Captains Field. The top-ranked CNU women will host Mary Washington at 7:00 p.m. following a 5:00 p.m. start between the CNU men and Salisbury. 


2022 C2C Women's Soccer Weekly Award Winners
Sept 5: OFF - Kyla Holt (SU), DEF - Jill McDonald (CNU)
Sept 12: OFF - Katherine Thomsen (PI), DEF - Aspen Wallin (FIN)
Sept 19: OFF - Sarah Smith (CNU), DEF - Lauren Spelman (SU)
Sept 26: OFF - Sarah Smith (CNU), DEF - Jaya Daniel (CNU)
Oct 3: OFF - Autumn Dougherty (SU), DEF - Ally Holden (UMW)
Oct 10: OFF - Katherine Thomsen (PI), DEF - Jaya Daniel (CNU)
Oct 17: OFF - Kaitlyn Venzen (UMW), DEF - Jill McDonald (CNU)