VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- After opening the season with a 1-0 victory at home over Randolph-Macon, the Christopher Newport women's soccer team won't travel far for games two and three, heading across the water for the 2015 Atlantic Orthopedic Specialists Classic hosted by Virginia Wesleyan College. The Captains (1-0-0) will take on Carthage College and Berry College (Ga.) in this weekend's tournament, kicking off at 8:00 pm on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

First, on Friday night, the Captains will take on the Carthage College Lady Reds (0-1-0) for the first time in program history. Carthage is coming off an 8-10 season entering the fifth year under head coach Sara Meyer. The Lady Reds return first team All-Conference defender Rachel Post and second team forward Danielle Noverini, along with a pair of 2013 All-Conference players that were injured last season, Corinne Brennan and Kendall Craig. 

This season, the Lady Reds opened with a 4-0 setback to the University of Dubuque on the road, despite matching the Spartans in total shots, 9-9. The Kenosha, Wisconsin-based program was picked to finish fourth in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW). 

On Saturday, the Captains will take on the Vikings of Berry College, also matching up with the Captains for the first time in program history. A three-time NAIA National Championship program, the Vikings have quickly adjusted to the NCAA Division III level. Entering just their third year as postseason-eligible members, Berry has posted 16 wins in each of the last two seasons, winning the Southern Athletic Association regular season title in 2014. This weekend's action will open the 2015 season for Berry.

The Vikings feature a dangerous scoring threat atop the offense in junior forward Maggie Midkiff, who posted a sensational 58-point season a year ago. A two-time first team All-Region selection, Midkiff scored 25 goals and added eight assists to lead an offense that averaged over 3.7 goals per game last season. Defensively, another All-Region pick, Michala Bibbins, returns to a back line that allowed just 13 goals in 19 games last year. Rising senior Becca Proschansky rounded out the Berry All-Region selections, and will also return to the stingy defense.

As for Christopher Newport, junior All-Region forward Victoria Perry kicked off her junior year with a game-winning goal against the Yellow Jackets, giving her eight winning tallies in her career. Allie McWilliams and rookie Gabby Gillis assisted on the lone score of the season opener, in a game that featured 26 shots by the CNU offense. The defense was strong in game one, allowing just six shots as Sam Rabinek, Kira Warner, Carly Melkus and Michelle Green combined for most of the minutes on the back line. Junior goalkeeper Haley Casanova turned away four shots to lock up her first shutout of the season. 

CNU, picked to win the CAC in 2015, is entering the third season under head coach Dan Weiler, who has helped lead the Captains to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. 

Live stats will be available for both games this weekend.