vs. Vassar: Live Stats // Video Stream
vs. Virginia Wesleyan: Live Stats // Video Stream

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The sixth-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team will host Vassar in a non-conference showdown on Friday at 3 p.m. before hitting the road for a 1 p.m. test at Virginia Wesleyan on Sunday at Birdsong Field.

The Captains currently sit at 1-0 on the season, while Vassar is 2-0. Meanwhile, Virginia Wesleyan has split its first two games of the year.

For those fans unable to attend the games, live stats and a video stream of both contests will be available. The Vassar game can be accessed at CNUsports.com/watch, while Sunday's bout will be available at VWUathletics.com. Direct links can be found at the top of this release and on the CNU schedule page.

Christopher Newport is coming off of a well-rounded 5-0 victory over Bridgewater to open the season. During the contest, Courtney Fiest scored a pair of goals, while Rachel Cooke added three points. Rachael Allshouse also contributed two assists. On the defensive side, senior Brittan Muir and freshmen Nyla Lewis and Izzy Diz helped anchor a back line that did not allow a single shot-on-goal to the Eagles.

The victory over Bridgewater marked the program's third consecutive season-opening shutout. The Captains previously blanked Goucher, 4-0, to open the 2016 season before handling Virginia Wesleyan, 6-0, in the 2017 opener.

On the other side of the field, Vassar kicked off the new year with an equally impressive opening weekend. The Brewers claimed the Betty Richey Tournament Title after blowing past Manhattanville, 10-0, before upending SUNY Geneseo, 4-1. Alyssa More was honored as the MVP of the tournament and earned the Liberty League Offensive Player of the Week Award after finishing with 10 points, including four goals. Megan Caveny also scored twice and picked up All-Tournament nods for her efforts.

Along with More and Caveny, Monica Feeley, Natalie Johnston, and Cristina Lopez also secured All-Tournament plaudits. In addition to their work last weekend, Feeley, Caveny, and Lopez were All-Region honorees for their efforts in 2017.

Virginia Wesleyan opened the season with a 6-3 setback at Stevenson before rebounding with a blistering 15-0 triumph over Hood on Saturday. Emily Price already boasts four goals this year, while Elizabeth Roberto and Catalina Jones have three apiece. Overall, 10 different Marlins have already scored this season, while Skye Swain has a .538 save percentage and a 4.24 goals-against-average.

Among the veterans on the team, Roberto and Swain both secured second-team All-Conference nods for their work in 2017, while Cori Jackson tallied third-team accolades for her efforts on the midfield unit.

Friday's contest will mark the first ever meeting between CNU and Vassar. Meanwhile, the Captains and Marlins are longtime rivals. The two programs have met 13 times with Christopher Newport holding a 10-3 edge in the series. Last year, Lily Bryngelson had a pair of strikes during the squad's 6-0 victory over VWU.

---CNU---