The Emory University defense matched a program record with its sixth-consecutive shutout, helping the 10^th-ranked Eagles defeat Piedmont College 5-0 at the Woodruff P.E. Center on Wednesday night.

The six shutouts matched the team’s record, set during the 1984 season.  Emory’s defense allowed a season-low four shots to a Lions team that entered the game ranked fifth among all NCAA Division III teams with 26 goals, and 17^th with 3.25 goals per game.

The Emory defense, which entered the game with the sixth-lowest team goals-against average among Division III schools, lowered it further to 0.12 for the season, having allowed just one goal in eight games.

Meanwhile, Emory’s offense struck 22 shots during the game, the second highest total by the squad this season.  Nine of the team’s shots were on goal.

Emory took a 1-0 lead in the 23^rd minute, capitalizing off sophomore Andrew Natalino’s team-leading fourth goal of the season.  Natalino scored off a Zach Samuels throw in, which was redirected by Alex Scott in front of the net to Natalino, who kicked the ball past the Piedmont keeper and into the back of the net.  It was the team-leading seventh assist for Samuels, who entered the game ranked fourth in Division III in assists, and the second assist of the campaign for Scott.

It would go on to be the third game-winning goal of the season for Natalino, also a team best.

After the game remained 1-0 for the remainder of the half and the first 20 minutes of the second half, sophomore David Langton would extend the lead with a long shot past the goalkeeper for his first goal of the season, and second career goal, at the 65:24 mark. 

Just over a minute later, freshman midfielder Dehmeh Smith scored his first collegiate goal off a pass from Michael Scannapieco from the wing, to make the score 3-0.  A penalty kick in the 75^th minute from sophomore Charlie Donahue (also his first goal of the campaign), and freshman Jan Gundersen’s second goal of the season off Scannapieco’s second assist of the game (and third of the season), would cap off the scoring for Emory.

With Langton, Smith and Donahue all scoring their first goals of the campaign, Emory has now had 16 different goal scorers this season, matching a program best set in 1997 and 2008.

Junior goalkeeper Trenton Spindler made three saves in over 76 shutout minutes, including one on a shot by Piedmont’s Nick Weatherby in the first half that required his full extension to tip over the net.  Spindler improved to 8-0-0 on the season, while lowering his goals against average to 0.14.

With the win, Emory remained perfect on the season, improving to 8-0-0 for the eighth time in the program’s history, and the third time in four seasons under head coach Sonny Travis.  Piedmont dropped to 6-3-0 on the season with the loss.

The Eagles will return to action on Saturday, wrapping up a brief two-game home stand with a 12:30 PM game against Greensboro College, as part of Emory’s homecoming festivities.