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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The third-ranked Christopher Newport men's lacrosse team will continue the national playoffs on Saturday at noon when the Captains host No. 6 York (Pa.) in the NCAA Quarterfinals at Jennings Family Stadium.
Entering the bout, Christopher Newport sits at 18-1 on the season, including 12-1 at home. Meanwhile, York (Pa.) is 19-2 overall and 8-0 on the road.
Tickets for the contest will be $10 (cash only) and go on sale at the stadium one hour before the game. Additionally, Christopher Newport students will be admitted free of charge with a valid ID.
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 contest with Andy McGregor and Will Geise calling all of the action. Direct links to both features can be found at the top of this release and on the schedule page.
In addition to the showdown between the Captains and Spartans, Jennings Family Stadium will also serve as the host site of a quarterfinal tilt between No. 8 Union and No. 16 Gettysburg beginning at 3 p.m. The victors on Saturday will advance to the NCAA Semifinals, which will take place on Sunday at 3 p.m.
Christopher Newport advanced to Saturday after knocking off Sewanee, 29-5, and No. 14 Wesleyan, 21-8, last weekend. The 24-goal win over the Tigers equaled the largest margin of victory in program history, while the triumph over the Cardinals marked the squad's eighth over a nationally-ranked opponent this year. That stands as the highest single-season total in school history.
During last weekend's tournament games,
Dylan Rice led Christopher Newport with 11 total points, including eight goals.
Drew Miller and
Alex Brendes also chipped in with 10 points apiece, while
Robby Adams and
Coby Auslander each contributed five assists. On the defensive end,
Phoenix Hines and
Max Wayne both notched seven takeaways, while
Warner Cabaniss controlled possession with a 22-for-32 showcase on faceoffs.
Entering the weekend, Christopher Newport currently ranks first in the NCAA in assists per game (12.47), takeaways per contest (18.16), and ground balls per game (46.79). The Captains are also outscoring their opposition by an average of 12 goals per outing, which stands as the highest rate in the country.
On an individual level, Hines is ninth in the NCAA with 54 caused turnovers, while Wayne is 10th with 53. Additionally, Rice is eighth on the national charts with 70 goals, and
Brady Altobello is 15th with 10 man-up tallies. Meanwhile,
Zac Hanway is 14th with a 7.99 goals-against-average, and Cabaniss sits 21st with a .666 faceoff percentage.
York comes into Saturday on a 17-game winning streak, which is the longest active roll in the nation. The Spartans have also won eight consecutive road games, which stands as the finest streak in the country.
The squad is coming off of an 18-8 win over Southern Virginia last Friday before toppling No. 19 Denison, 16-4, on Saturday. Overall this season, the Spartans rank second in the NCAA in scoring defense while allowing only seven goals per game. York is also ninth nationally in faceoff percentage with a .682 mark.
On an individual level, Jack Michael is second in the country with a 7.10 goals-against-average, and Ryan Kennedy is third with 61 caused turnovers. Along with the defensive juggernauts, Vinny Facciponti is 31st nationally with a .646 faceoff percentage, and Ben Mayer leads the team with 86 points, including 32 assists. He and Will Harnick also have 54 goals apiece.
Saturday's showdown will mark the first meeting between the former conference rivals since York recorded a 13-4 triumph on March 30, 2019 in Pennsylvania. Although the last match-up took place over three years ago, nine starters and 19 total players are back after taking part in that clash. Among them, York's Eben Ordakowski and Dylan Wolf both scored twice in that game, while Michael earned the victory for his work between the pipes. Meanwhile, Altobello added a goal for the Captains, and both
Will Stockhausen and
Jackson Deal contributed assists.
Overall, York and Christopher Newport have met 11 total times with the Spartans holding a 10-1 edge in the series.
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