vs. Gettysburg: Live Stats // Video Stream
vs. Lynchburg: Live Stats // Video Stream
OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The fourth-ranked Christopher Newport men's lacrosse team will face a pair of top-10 tests this weekend when the Captains square off with No. 10 Gettysburg on Friday at 3:30 p.m. before facing No. 7 Lynchburg on Saturday at 11 a.m. during the Mustang Classic at Stevenson's Mustang Stadium.
For those fans looking to attend the games, tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $5 for students. Children under 12 will be admitted free of charge.
Stevenson will also provide live stats and a video stream of both games at GoMustangSports.com. Direct links can be found at the top of this release and on the schedule page.
Christopher Newport enters the weekend with a 7-0 record, including a 3-0 mark on the road. Meanwhile, Gettysburg is 5-1 overall and 0-1 on the road, while Lynchburg is 4-1 with a 1-1 record on the road. The lone losses for both the Bullets and Hornets came at No. 2 Salisbury.
The Captains are coming off of their fifth straight double-digit victory after toppling Illinois Wesleyan, 29-8, on Saturday. Against the Titans,
Dylan Rice recorded his 200th career goal, becoming just the fourth active player at any level of the NCAA to reach that milestone. Meanwhile, for the second straight contest,
Coby Auslander handed out six assists, which equaled the second-highest single-game total in program history. For that performance, he was named to the USILA National Team of the Week.
On the defensive side, Christopher Newport caused 25 turnovers, including five by
Max Wayne.
Tyler Lamb also added four takeaways, while
Phoenix Hines and
David Gonzalez notched three apiece. Additionally, freshman
Warner Cabaniss won 13 of his 19 faceoffs and secured eight ground balls.
So far this season, the Captains rank second in the nation in assists per game (13.71), ground balls per game (50.57), and takeaways per game (20.29). The squad's 20.14 goals-per-game average also slots Christopher Newport fourth among all teams in the NCAA.
On an individual level, Auslander leads the nation with 25 assists, which also places him fifth on the program's all-time single-season charts. Meanwhile, Wayne and Hines rank first and second in caused turnovers with 26 and 24, respectively. Rice also slots 11th in the country in goals per game (4.29), and Cabaniss is 21st in faceoff percentage (.688).
Gettysburg enters Friday on a three-game roll, including a 10-6 triumph over Washington & Lee on Tuesday. The Bullets feature a stout defense led by Scott MacMillan, who ranks 19th in the NCAA with a 6.76 goals-against-average. Overall, the team has limited its opposition to only 6.60 goals per game, which stands 22nd in the country. Offensively, George Raymond leads the team with 25 points, including 14 goals, while Kyle Howard has 10 strikes and 10 assists.
Lynchburg will open the Mustang Classic against No. 18 Denison on Friday morning before battling the Captains on Saturday. The Hornets boast an elite attack that ranks seventh in the NCAA in goals per game (18.40). On an individual level, Ryan Kinney is sixth on the national charts with a 4.60 goals-per-game rate, including four daggers in a win over No. 8 Cabrini last month. Defensively, Patrick Moore has a .492 save percentage and 9.21 goals-against-average.
Christopher Newport and Gettysburg have never squared off in lacrosse, while Lynchburg holds a 4-2 edge against the Captains. The two programs battled three times last year, including an overtime thriller in the National Quarterfinals. During that game,
Alex Brendes scored the final strike in the 62nd minute to give Christopher Newport a 12-11 victory.
Following this weekend's action, the Captains will return home for a 4 p.m. showdown with Washington & Lee on March 23. That will also serve as the annual Virginia Lacrosse the Nations Cup.
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