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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The 14th-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team will kick off Capital Athletic Conference action on Friday at 7 p.m. when the Captains host Mary Washington in a league tilt at Jennings Family Stadium.
 
Entering the game, Christopher Newport sits at 8-3 on the season, including 5-0 at home. The program has won 13 straight games in Newport News dating back to the end of the 2017 campaign. That run stands as the sixth-longest active streak in the country.
 
Meanwhile, Mary Washington is 5-6 overall and riding a three-game winning streak. So far this season, the Eagles are 1-5 away from Fredericksburg. However, the team's one win on the road came during a neutral-site tilt at Jennings Family Stadium when the Eagles upended Rhodes, 3-1, on September 29.
 
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 Austin Urch and Rob Smith calling all of the action. Direct links to both features can be found at the top of this release and on the schedule page.
 
Christopher Newport is coming off of a 1-0 setback against Lynchburg on Sunday at the Liberty Field Hockey Complex. Despite the loss, it marked the 10th consecutive game in which the Captains surrendered one goal or less in regulation play. That equals the longest streak by the program since the squad had a run of 11 straight contests of one goal or less from September 2 - October 8, 2007.
 
Playing a key role on the defense, Izzy Diz has played every second of the last five games on the back line, while seniors Bailey Miller and Kennedy Johnson have been consistent anchors throughout the season. Johnson has been especially reliable since arriving in Newport News as she enters Friday having started 49 consecutive games dating back to her sophomore campaign. That stands as the longest active streak on the team.
 
On the offensive side, Mauri Ware has been a key factor all year. The sophomore ranks third in the conference with seven goals and fourth with 17 points. Meanwhile, Miller and Sarah Mueller are tied for ninth in the CAC with five goals. Mueller's ascendance has been especially impressive as the first-year Captain has scored all 12 of her points in the last four games, including a hat-trick against Virginia Wesleyan on October 1. She also has a team-high 10 points at home this season.
 
On the other side of the field, Mary Washington has been on fire lately, winning its last three games while averaging four goals per contest during that stretch. Lauren Hopkins has led the way as the senior is the reigning CAC Offensive Player of the Week after scoring four goals last week. During that stretch, she also became just the third Eagle to eclipse 50 career goals, placing her name alongside Jenna Steele and longtime Christopher Newport assistant coach Jessica Morelos.
 
Along with Hopkins' efforts on the offensive side of the ball, Mary Washington has also relied on a stout defensive unit. The squad currently ranks eighth in the NCAA with 11 defensive saves. On an individual level, Jackie Smith has nine stops by herself, which ranks as the highest total in the country. Meanwhile, between the pipes, Jillian Lawrence slots second in the CAC with 81 total saves this season.
 
Longtime rivals, Christopher Newport and Mary Washington have met 20 times with the Captains holding a 14-6 edge in the series. Christopher Newport has won the last three match-ups, including a 2-1 victory in Fredericksburg last year that ended in a penalty shootout. Incidentally, during each of those previous three contests, Courtney Fiest has scored the game-winning goal with a pair of second-half tallies in 2017 before headlining the penalty shootout last season.
 
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