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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The 16th-ranked Christopher Newport men's lacrosse team will host Mary Washington on Saturday at 2 p.m. in the first round of the Capital Athletic Conference Tournament at Captains Turf Field.

Entering the postseason as the league's No. 3 seed, CNU boasts a 13-3 record, including a 6-2 mark in conference play. Mary Washington, who earned the No. 6 seed, sits at 7-9 with a 3-5 ledger in CAC action.

For those fans planning to attend the game, tickets will be $5 for adults and $3 for students and children. CNU students will be admitted free of charge. For those fans unable to attend 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. Direct links to both features can be found at the top of this release and on the CNU schedule page.

Christopher Newport and Mary Washington previously met on April 11 with the Captains notching an 8-5 triumph. During that game, the Eagles inched within two goals in the second half, but CNU never let them get any closer. Overall, Drew Magnusson led the Captains with three goals, while Matthew Crist and Lucas Barry also contributed three points. On the other side, UMW picked up three assists from Shane McKenzie and two strikes from Owen Dingman.

Along with the team's offensive efforts, Tony Cruz won 12 of 17 faceoffs during that battle, and Scott McAneney made a career-high 13 saves.

Overall this year, Crist wrapped up the regular season ranked second in the CAC with 43 goals and 70 points. His 29 assists are also tied for the third most among conference competitors, while his .471 shooting percentage is the best mark in the league. Meanwhile, on a national level, CNU is seventh in man-up offense and 20th in faceoff percentage. The Captains have converted 46 percent of their extra-man opportunities and won 64 percent of their faceoffs. Cruz has been the mainstay at the 'X,' winning 197 of his 306 attempts.

On the other side of the field, Mary Washington comes into town on a five-game skid, including a 16-12 setback against Southern Virginia in the regular season finale. Despite the recent stumble, McKenzie still ranks first in the league with 41 assists and seventh with 57 points. Chis White also boasts a league-high 10 man-up goals, while Eli Ayer has won 53 percent of his faceoff attempts. That stands as the fourth-best rate in the conference. Billy Senicola also leads the CAC with 166 saves.

In 14 previous meetings between the two programs, UMW holds a 9-5 edge in the series. Mary Washington has won both previous battles in the postseason after registering first round victories during the 2014 and 2015 CAC playoffs.

The winner of Saturday's game will advance to the conference semifinals for a showdown at second-seeded Salisbury on Tuesday.

---CNU---