Live Stats // Video Stream

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- After earning a first-round bye, the fourth-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team will kick off the NCAA Tournament on Saturday at 11 a.m. when CNU hosts No. 8 Kean in a top-10 showdown at Captains Turf Field.
 
Riding a 13-game winning streak, Christopher Newport enters the playoffs with a 17-1 record. The Captains earned an automatic bid to the tournament after claiming the program's first Capital Athletic Conference Championship last weekend. Overall, this marks CNU's ninth trip to the postseason and its first since embarking on a Final Four run in 2013.
 
On the other side of the field, Kean sits at 20-2 overall. The Cougars earned an at-large bid to the tournament and registered a first-round victory on Wednesday after downing Juniata, 2-1, in overtime. This marks Kean's first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament.
 
The winner of Saturday's battle will advance to the Elite Eight for a bout against either No. 9 Montclair State or No. 10 Franklin & Marshall on Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
For those fans attending the games this weekend, tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students and children. They can be purchased at the front gate.
 
For fans unable to make it to Captains Turf Field, live stats and a video stream of this weekend's action will be available at CNUsports.com. Direct links to both features can be found at the top of this release and on the CNU schedule page.
 
Saturday's contest will feature two of the nation's elite defensive units. Entering the weekend, Christopher Newport ranks second in the nation with a 0.60 goals-against-average, while Kean is fifth with a 0.76 mark. Limiting the opposition's scoring opportunities, the Cougars have held their competition to just six shots per game during the year, while CNU has surrendered just seven attempts per contest.
 
Meanwhile, Kean is first in the nation with 12 shutouts. Christopher Newport has also been stingy, blanking 10 opponents this year. That is tied for the fifth-highest total in the country.
 
On an individual level, Stephanie McKinney has paced the Captains and ranks third in the NCAA with a stellar .847 save percentage. Meanwhile, she has received tremendous support from her back line as Alexa Weaver, Brittan Muir, and Mackenzie Neylon were all selected to the All-Conference squad. Weaver and Muir both have a pair of defensive saves, while Neylon has one.
 
Offensively, Rachael Allshouse has a team-high 13 goals and 30 points, while Courtnie Greene has six strikes and eight assists. Piecing together a breakout freshman campaign, Courtney Fiest also has a team-high 11 helpers. That total ranks first in the nation among first-year competitors.
 
On the other side of the field, Kean's attack has been effective at drawing penalty corners all year long. The Cougars average 14.45 corners per contest, which ranks as the second-highest rate in the nation. The squad also sits 10th in the country with a 3.77 goals-per-game mark. Krista LaMaina has been the top offensive threat with 24 goals, while Teresa Carr has 19. Shauna LaMaina has 14 goals and 14 assists as well.
 
Defensively, Kean has been anchored by Megan Houser, who boasts a 1.07 goals-against-average and a .776 save percentage. Bailee Mullen has also seen substantial time between the pipes while adding a 0.84 goals-per-game mark. Katie-Lynne Lussier has a team-high four defensive saves as well.
 
Saturday's contest will mark the first-ever meeting between Kean and Christopher Newport.
 
---CNU---