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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- In a Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference battle featuring a pair of top-10 squads, the sixth-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team will host fifth-ranked Salisbury at 4 p.m. on Wednesday at Jennings Family Stadium.
Entering the midweek matinee, CNU sits at 13-0 on the season, including 6-0 at home. Meanwhile, Salisbury is 10-2 overall with a 6-2 record on the road.
For those fans unable to attend the game, Christopher Newport will provide a live broadcast of the action through the athletic department's official YouTube channel. Live stats will also be available at CNUsports.com. Direct links to both features can be found at the top of this release and on the schedule page.
In addition to being a match-up between a pair of national powers, Wednesday's tilt will also serve as CNU's annual Senior Day. The Captains will hold an on-field ceremony prior to the contest that will feature
Chloe Thompson, the program's lone fourth-year standout. Since arriving in Newport News, she has started 46 games while helping lead Christopher Newport to a pair of NCAA Tournament berths and a combined 39-12 record.
On an individual level, Thompson has made contributions all over the field. A two-time Defensive Player of the Week honoree this year, she also boasts 23 career points. Overall, she is one of just seven players in school history to amass at least five career defensive saves, five goals, and five assists.
Aided by Thompson's efforts, Christopher Newport boasts one of the nation's leading defensive units in 2023. The Captains currently rank third in the NCAA with a 0.46 goals-against-average and .880 save percentage. On an individual level,
Lily Kerr is also third with a personal .886 save percentage and fourth with a 0.47 goals-against-average.
Equally impressive on the offensive end, CNU is averaging 4.62 goals per contest, which ranks eighth in the country.
Alexis Morales is seventh with a 0.77 assists-per-game rate, while
Abby Asuncion and
Lindsey Loar both slot in the top-100 in goals per outing. Both stars currently have nine total strikes this season.
Just as stingy on the defensive side, Salisbury enters Wednesday ranked second in the nation in save percentage (.889) and fifth in goals-against-average (0.49). The Sea Gulls are also tied with the Captains for fourth in the NCAA with eight shutouts.
Offensively, Salisbury is averaging 3.42 goals per contest. Freshman Marli McDorman leads the team with eight strikes, including the lone dagger in a 1-0 win at No. 8 York (Pa.). Facing a daunting schedule in 2023, the Sea Gulls also boast a 1-0 triumph over No. 9 Williams and have a pair of overtime setbacks against No. 3 Johns Hopkins and No. 4 Messiah.
One of the longest running rivalries in program history, Christopher Newport has faced Salisbury 30 times with the Sea Gulls holding a 24-6 edge in the series. SU has won the last three battles since
Maddison Steele deposited the only goal in a 1-0 win for the Captains on October 27, 2021.
Following Wednesday's contest, CNU will return to action on October 22 at 10:30 a.m. when the squad travels to Centre for a non-conference tilt.
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