WHEATON, Ill. -- The Christopher Newport women's soccer team is back in action this weekend, taking on a pair of tough teams in 24th-ranked Wheaton College and the University of Chicago. Both teams reached the NCAA Tournament in 2014 and ratchet up the difficulty of the Captains' non-conference schedule in 2015. CNU will face the nationally-ranked Thunder first, on Saturday, September 19 at 4:30 local, 5:30 Eastern. The Captains will then face the Chicago Maroons at 3:30 pm local, 4:30 Eastern on Sunday, September 20. 

Live stats and video will be available for both games, with links found at CNUsports.com or by clicking below:
at No. 24 Wheaton --  Live Stats  ||  Live Video
at University of Chicago --  Live Stats  ||  Live Video

Christopher Newport has faced off against Wheaton twice in program history, going 0-2 against the Thunder including an NCAA Elite Eight loss in 2004, the deepest postseason run in program history. Both matchups were played in the 2004 season as one of the Captains' three regular season losses also came at the hands of the Chicago-based team that would go on to win the NCAA Championship. On Sunday, CNU will battle the University of Chicago for the first time. 

So far this season, the Captains are enjoying an unbeaten run through the first six games, posting an overall record of 5-0-1, marking the best start to a season since 2000. Junior Victoria Perry leads the way offensively, scoring five goals, including a pair of game-winning tallies. On the other end of the field, the Captains have been very stingy defensively, allowing just two goals in over 560 minutes of action for a 0.32 goals against average. Junior Haley Casanova has played the bulk of the minutes between the pipes while a back line consisting primarily of junior Sam Rabinek and sophomores Kira Warner, Danielle Pratt and Carly Melkus, has held opponents to less than four shots on-goal per game. 

Wheaton comes into Saturday's contest after slipping to 24th in the first regular season rankings of the year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). The Thunder has started out the season with a 4-2-0 mark, including a 3-1 record at Joe Bean Stadium. Wheaton, a perennial power making its 18th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2014, was ousted in the first round after a 1-0 setback to Hope College. 

This season, the Thunder was picked to repeat as CCIW champions in the preseason coaches poll despite the loss of six starters. Head coach Pete Felske, in his 28th season at the helm for Wheaton, has gotten goals from six different players in the first six games, while the defense has allowed just five goals. Kristin Rauh, with eight points, is leading the way, while Morgan Whitman has chipped in seven. 

On Sunday, the Captains will face a University of Chicago program that reached the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2014 and finished the year with a 15-5-1 overall record. This year, the Maroons are scorching offensively, averaging nearly three goals per game. Chicago has won three of its first five games with all three wins coming at Amos Alonzo Stagg Field at the Ratner Athletics Center on their home campus. 

Offensively, Chicago has gotten goals from ten different players in the young season, led by three scores off the foot of Naomi Pacalin. Mia Calamari has added one goal and leads the team with four assists. 

Following the trip to the Windy City, the Captains will return home for a one game reprieve with a home game against Frostburg State next Saturday, September 26.