Live Stats // Video Stream
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The 13th-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team will kick off postseason play on Wednesday at 6 p.m. when the Captains host St. Mary's (Md.) in the Capital Athletic Conference Semifinals at Jennings Family Stadium.
After earning the No. 2 seed in the playoffs, Christopher Newport enters Wednesday with a 13-4 record, including a 4-1 mark in conference play. St. Mary's (Md.) secured the No. 3 seed and advanced to the semifinals after upending Southern Virginia, 8-0, in the first round. The Seahawks currently sit at 13-4 on the year.
The winner of Wednesday's game will advance to the CAC Championship for a date with the survivor of the Salisbury - York (Pa.) showdown. The title bout will be held on Saturday at the highest remaining seed.
For those fans attending Wednesday's game, tickets will be $5 for adults and $3 for students, seniors, and children. Christopher Newport students will be admitted free of charge with a valid ID.
The Captains will also provide live stats and a video stream of the action at CNUsports.com. Direct links to both features can be found at the top of this release and on the schedule page.
Entering the postseason, Christopher Newport boasts one of the nation's leading defensive units. The Captains rank 14th in the country in save percentage (.830), 15th in defensive saves (15), and 23rd in goals-against-average (1.08). The squad is one of only three programs in the nation to rank in the top-25 in all three categories, joining Ithaca and Vassar.
On an individual level,
Olivia Davis is 18th in goals-against-average (1.01) and 20th in save percentage (.818). Meanwhile,
Marcella Sabbagh,
Bailey Miller, and
Kennedy Johnson all rank among the top-five in the CAC in defensive saves. Sabbagh, who sits second with five stops, is just one shy of matching the program's single-season freshman record.
Offensively,
Abby Asuncion is second in the league with 13 goals and first with six game-winning strikes. Her 13 total goals are tied for the most by a freshman in school history, while her six clinchers equal the all-time program record. Meanwhile,
Mauri Ware is fourth in the league with 27 points, marking the second-highest total ever recorded by a first-year Captain.
St. Mary's comes into the semifinals after establishing a new school record with the squad's 13th win of the season on Saturday. During the triumph over Southern Virginia, Meghan Ronan came through with four points, including two assists, while Celina Kaufman added a pair of strikes. The defense also continued to shine as the unit did not surrender a single shot to the Knights.
The Seahawks have continued to feature one of the nation's top defensive units as the team stands 11th in the country with a 0.71 goals-against-average. St. Mary's has not allowed more than two goals in any game this season while boasting eight shutouts. Kelbey Egerland has led the way as the senior has played nearly every second in the cage while ranking 11th in the NCAA in goals-against-average.
St. Mary's and Christopher Newport last met on October 30 with the Captains picking up a 1-0 victory in Maryland. Asuncion scored the game's lone goal off a feed from
Sarah Mueller in the ninth minute. Davis paced the defense with six saves while helping the team polish off its fifth shutout of the year.
Overall, Christopher Newport holds a 14-2 edge in the all-time series against St. Mary's. Wednesday's bout will mark the first postseason match-up between the two programs.
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