NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The fourth-ranked CNU men's soccer team will host the Capital Athletic Conference season opener on Saturday night in a rematch of the 2014 CAC Championship game between the Captains (7-0-2) and Penn State Harrisburg Lions (2-2-2). The game will kick off at approximately 7:00 pm with live video available weather permitting, and live stats available at CNUsports.com/live. 

CNU enters Saturday's conference opener riding a nine-game unbeaten streak to start the season and a 17-game unbeaten stretch overall, dating back to the last regular season matchup with Penn State Harrisburg. The Lions are the last team to defeat CNU, capturing a 3-1 win in Middletown, Pa. last season. The two teams matched up again in the CAC Title game, where the Captains reversed the score to win its first ever CAC Championship. 

So far this season, the Captains are sharing the ball incredibly well, posting 17 assists on 16 goals through the first nine games. Heading into the weekend, the Captains ranked 25th nationally in total assists and have scored only two unassisted goals all season. Seven different players have a pair of assists already this season, including leading scorer Patrick Burns.

Burns is off to another strong start offensively for the Captains. After capturing first team All-Conference honors last season, Burns is second in the league in scoring through the first month with six goals and two assists for 14 total points. Senior Ryan Balfour also has two helpers in addition to a pair of goals, ranking second on the team with six points. 

Defensively, CNU has been led by senior goalkeeper Nolan Mann, with a 0.71 goals against average and a .741 save percentage. The back line in front of him includes senior Sean Christein, rookie Bobby Seifert and sophomores Zach Douglass and Cameron Vaughn. 

The Lions come into Saturday's contest with a .500 record, going 2-2-2 in their first six games. Junior forward Alex Panuccio is leading Penn State Harrisburg with seven points on three goals and one assist. Sophomore Victor Weaver ranks 14th in the nation and ranks second in the CAC with four assists. 

This will be just the fourth matchup all-time between the two programs, with CNU leading the series, 2-1. Following the game, the Captains will continue the CAC schedule with back-to-back road games at York (Pa.) and Southern Virginia.