Live Stats // Video Stream
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The Christopher Newport women's lacrosse team will open up the 2019 campaign on Saturday at 4 p.m. when CNU hosts Meredith in a non-conference bout at Captains Field.
Saturday's game will mark the team's debut at Captains Field, which will serve as CNU's home throughout the 2019 season. Captains Turf Field is currently undergoing a renovation project that will put the program's normal stadium out of commission during the spring.
Captains Field, which also serves as the home of CNU soccer, is adjacent to POMOCO Stadium.
For those fans unable to attend the contest, live stats will be available on CNUsports.com. Christopher Newport will also provide a broadcast of the game with Brittan Muir and Austin Urch calling all of the action. Direct links to the live stats and video stream can be found at the top of this release and on the CNU schedule page.
Christopher Newport is coming off of a 2018 season that saw the squad compile a 10-9 record while advancing to the semifinals of the Capital Athletic Conference Tournament. The program welcomes back five players who started at least 10 games last season, including All-Region performers
Sarah Culver and
Julia Golden. Culver led the CAC with 69 goals last year, which also marked the third-highest single-season total in school history. Meanwhile, Golden starred on the midfield unit while leading the team with 19 caused turnovers.
Among the other starters returning in 2019,
Kaitlyn Ready established a new single-season program record and ranked second in the NCAA with 227 saves last year.
Cat Leighty also ranked third on the 2018 squad with 33 goals, while fellow sophomore
Gracie Sanders joins Golden and
Olivia Aumais as team captains in 2019.
On the back line,
Hannah Curry and
Taylor Walker return after earning starting assignments during last year's CAC Tournament.
On the other side of the field, Meredith is coming off of a 2018 season during which the team posted a 16-5 record, captured the USA South Championship, and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Guided by their efforts last year, the Avenging Angels were named the unanimous favorites in the USA South Preseason Coaches Poll.
Meredith welcomes back six All-Conference performers from last year's roster, which finished the season ranked among the top-three nationally in scoring offense, scoring margin, and draw controls. Headlining the squad's veteran contingent, senior Holly Hite became the program's first All-American after earning third-team nods from the IWLCA. She led the USA South with 171 draw controls in 2018 and already owns the league's career record with 346.
Along with Hite, fellow first-team All-League standouts Sarah Arbes, Julie Capretti, and Lilia Cruz are back from last year's team, while Natalie Purcell and Haley Whitfield were honorable mention selections in 2018.
Christopher Newport holds a 2-0 lead in the all-time series with Meredith. The teams squared off as league rivals in 2013 before CNU notched a 16-15 victory during a non-conference bout last year. During the 2018 match-up, the Captains trailed 9-3 before piecing together an epic second-half rally. That marked the largest deficit overcome in program history.
Leading CNU last year, Culver posted seven points, including six goals, against Meredith. Leighty also contributed a hat-trick, while Golden posted three points as well. On the other side, Cruz and Capretti both scored three times for the Avenging Angels, while Whitfield and Sydney Hardee combined for 15 saves.
Following Saturday's contest, Christopher Newport will return to action next Wednesday at 4 p.m. when the squad hosts No. 13 Washington & Lee in the Virginia "Lacrosse the Nations" Cup at Captains Field.
---CNU---
