NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- After spending the past three weeks on the road, the Christopher Newport field hockey team will return home for a non-conference showdown with Roanoke at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Captains Turf Field.
 
Sunday will also serve as CNU's annual Play for CHKD Day. The Captains will host a youth tournament following the game, and admission for the contest will be $5 for adults and $3 for children and students. All uniformed participants and coaches for the tournament will be admitted free. Proceeds raised during the day will benefit the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters.
 
Entering the weekend, Christopher Newport sits at 8-3 on the season, including 3-1 at home. Meanwhile, Roanoke is 8-2 overall and 4-2 on the road.
 
A LOOK AT THE CAPTAINS
 
Coming off of a five-game road swing, CNU has not played a contest at home since September 17. During their travels, the Captains posted a 3-2 record, including victories over No. 19 Catholic and local ODAC foes Virginia Wesleyan and Washington & Lee. On an individual level, Rachael Allshouse scored a team-high four goals during the road trip, while Madison Doss added a pair and Sarah Miller contributed two defensive saves.
 
Through 11 games this season, Christopher Newport boasts four shutouts and has yet to allow more than two goals in a game. Only the 2010 and 2013 squads had longer streaks without surrendering more than two goals to open the year. Headlining the defense, senior Bailey Lien leads the Capital Athletic Conference with a .795 save percentage and ranks second with a 0.93 goals-against-average. Miller's four defensive saves also stand second in the league.
 
On the offensive end, Allshouse is third in the CAC with nine goals and fifth with 19 points. Meanwhile, among players with at least three goals this year, Kana Hashigami's .375 shooting percentage is the third-finest in the league.
 
LAST TIME OUT
 
On Thursday, CNU capped off its road swing with a 1-0 overtime setback against Kenyon at Shenandoah's Sprint Field. During the match-up, the Captains held a 21-7 edge in shots and a 13-6 lead in corners, but the Ladies capitalized on an early strike in overtime to seal the victory. Lien finished with two saves for CNU, while Mackenzie Neylon and Carol Thompson both had five shots.
 
SCOUTING THE MAROONS
 
Off to the program's best start since 1999, Roanoke has won eight of its first 10 outings this year. On Saturday, the Maroons saw their three-game roll snapped with a 2-1 double-overtime setback at Virginia Wesleyan. Despite the recent stumble, the Maroons have been electric on both sides of the ball this year. Senior Shelbi Holloman leads the team with 16 goals and ranks among the top-five nationally in goals- and points-per-game. Rebecca Schmidt and Katerina DeSimone have also scored six times apiece, while Heather Schauder has anchored the defense. The sophomore goalie has a .774 save percentage, and as a team, Roanoke ranks 14th in the nation with a 0.96 goals-against-average.
 
SERIES HISTORY
 
CNU and Roanoke have met eight times with the Captains holding a 5-3 edge in the all-time series. The Captains won last year's meeting, 6-0, in Salem.
 
UP NEXT
 
Following Sunday's bout, Christopher Newport will remain at home for a Wednesday night showdown with St. Mary's (Md.) at 6 p.m.
 
---CNU---