Live Stats / Web Stream
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. -- The Christopher Newport field hockey team will open up postseason action on Wednesday afternoon when the Captains travel to No. 14 Mary Washington for the semifinals of the Capital Athletic Conference Tournament at 2:30 p.m. at the UMW Turf Stadium.
The Captains, who enter the postseason as the CAC's No. 3 seed, currently stand at 11-6 on the season. The Eagles, who secured the No. 2 seed in the tournament, are 14-4 overall. Both squads earned first-round byes for their efforts during the regular season.
For those fans unable to make it to Fredericksburg for the game, Mary Washington will provide live stats and a web stream of the action at UMWeagles.com. Direct links to both features can be found at the top of this release and on the CNU schedule page.
Wednesday's game will serve as a rematch of the regular season finale held at Captains Turf Field on October 29. During that battle, the two squads found themselves deadlocked at one in regulation before UMW's Kathleen Namey struck on a penalty stroke in overtime to seal the win for the Eagles.
Carol Thompson scored CNU's goal just over a minute into the game, while
Bailey Lien contributed 13 saves to help stifle the Mary Washington attack.
Overall, Christopher Newport holds a 9-5 lead in the all-time series against UMW.
During the regular season,
Belle Tunstall led the Captains with 20 points while scoring seven goals. Piecing together a truly historic senior campaign, she established new program records for career points and assists earlier this year and is currently tied with Wendy Wilson for the all-time goals record with 41. A clutch performer, she also boasts a pair of game-winning goals this season, including a crucial overtime strike against St. Mary's two weeks ago.
Along with Tunstall,
Taylor Williams has scored six times this year, while freshman
Carol Thompson has played a part in eight scores. The first-year standout currently has four goals and four assists.
Allie Hackbarth has been equally balanced on the offensive end with three goals and three helpers.
Alexa Weaver and
Sarah Miller have scored three times apiece as well.
On the defensive end,
Bailey Lien and
Savanah Cummings have combined for six shutouts while registering an .844 save percentage. The two sophomores have also limited the opposition to a 1.62 goals-against-average during the season. Equally impressive on the back line, Miller and
Alexa Hendrickson both have four defensive saves for CNU.
Mary Washington has been led by a well-balanced offense which features seven players with at least eight goals. Jenna Steele leads the team with 18 tallies, while Christine Downie has 10. Haley Kane has been effective as well with nine goals and 10 assists. On the defensive end, Megan McLaughlin has started all 18 games for the Eagles and compiled a .755 save percentage and a 1.62 goals-against-average.
The winner of Wednesday's contest will advance to the CAC Championship game, which will be held on Saturday. The time and location will be determined following the result of Wednesday's other CAC semifinal match-up between Salisbury and York.
---CNU---
