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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The Christopher Newport men's lacrosse team will make its first appearance at home this season when CNU hosts Virginia Wesleyan in a non-conference battle on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Captains Turf Field.
                                                
Opening the year with three straight road tilts, Christopher Newport enters the midweek battle with a 1-2 record. Meanwhile, Virginia Wesleyan has split its first two contests and sits at 1-1 overall.
 
Wednesday's contest begins a six-game homestand for the Captains, which marks the longest in program history.
 
For those fans unable to make it to the game, live stats will be available at CNUsports.com. The Captains will also provide a broadcast of the action with Andy McGregor and Jake Myers on the call. Links to both features can be found at the top of this release and on the CNU schedule page.
 
A LOOK AT THE CAPTAINS
 
Entering Wednesday's game, reigning All-American Randy Foster is just two points away from becoming the seventh player in program history with 100 career points. The senior standout currently has 71 goals and 27 assists during his decorated career, including five points already this season. The midfielder is also tied for the team lead with four caused turnovers this year.
 
Among other offensive standouts, Matthew Crist leads the team and ranks fourth in the CAC with eight assists so far this year, while Ryan Mills stands ninth in the conference with 11 points. Will Geise, who was the last Captain to join the exclusive 100-point club, also has eight goals this season, which is tied for the eighth-most in the league.
 
On the defensive side, Matt Hayden leads the Capital with a .547 save percentage, while his 35 total stops rank second in the league. Jake O'Connell and Drew Cornell have also forced four turnovers apiece for the Captains, and Tony Cruz has won 58 percent of his faceoff attempts.
 
SCOUTING THE MARLINS
 
Virginia Wesleyan dropped its season opener at Widener, 9-8, before bouncing back with a 14-7 triumph over Greensboro on Saturday. In the victory over the Pride, Justin Metzger led the Marlins with four points, including three goals, while Matt Baldwin dished out three assists. Duncan Haight also dominated on faceoffs, winning 17 of his 22 battles, while Chris McTague earned the win behind 11 saves.
 
Overall this season, Metzger leads VWC with seven points, while Joe Couture has a team-high five goals. Featuring a well-balanced attack, seven Marlins have at least two points this season, and six have scored at least two goals. Haight has also excelled at the "X," winning 26 of his 39 faceoffs. On the defensive side, Evan Merrill has three caused turnovers and six ground balls, while McTague boasts a .568 save percentage.
 
Virginia Wesleyan, which posted a 10-7 record last year, was picked fifth in the ODAC Preseason Poll. The Marlins returned two All-Conference performers from last season's squad after Haight and Tyler Conn both secured third-team All-ODAC accolades.
 
SERIES HISTORY
 
The Captains and Marlins have met 10 times with Virginia Wesleyan holding a 6-4 edge in the series. However, CNU has won the last three meetings, including a 16-9 victory in Virginia Beach last year. During that contest, Crist had four goals for Christopher Newport, while Mills and Foster contributed three apiece. VWC was led by four-time All-American Josh Currier, who posted six goals before graduating in the spring.
 
UP NEXT
 
Following Wednesday's contest, Christopher Newport will remain at home for a 3 p.m. battle against Guilford on Saturday.
 
---CNU---