NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Capping off a busy Homecoming weekend on Saturday evening, the top-ranked Christopher Newport women's soccer team will welcome Roanoke College for a 5:00 p.m. kickoff in the 2023 regular season home finale. The Captains (13-0-1) will host the Maroons (8-3-4) following a special pre-game ceremony honoring the Senior Class. 

This year's senior class features eight four-year letterwinners and one transfer playing for the No. 1 Captains in 2023. The eight seniors, who came to Christopher Newport during the 2020-21 season canceled due to the CoVID-19 global pandemic, have put together the finest four-year career in program history with a 54-0-5 all-time record heading into Saturday night. The group captured a national championship in 2021 as sophomores while carrying CNU back to the national quarterfinals in 2022.

This season, CNU has been unbeaten for 14 of those 59 games, posting an impressive record of 13-0-1 heading into Saturday evening. The Captains are coming off a 1-0 win over previously-unbeaten No. 17 Swarthmore College on Wednesday night after Kyleigh Gough converted on a second-half penalty kick. The defense put together the 12th shutout in 14 games this season, lowering the team's goals-against average to 0.14. 

CNU and Roanoke have faced off 16 times in the all-time series with the Captains owning an 11-5-0 advantage against the Maroons. CNU is 6-1-0 at home against Roanoke and have won four straight in the series dating back through the 2017 season. In the 16 matchups, Roanoke has only been shut out by the Captains four times. 

Christopher Newport leans heavily on a dominant defense that is led by junior center back Reanna Slater, senior right back Nyah Savage, and sophomore left back Jackie Stallard. On Wednesday, rookie Bella DiTommaso filled in for Stallard, and the defense continued its suffocating performance in 2023. Rookie goalkeeper Amy Sidaway has started ten straight games and has registered a 9-0-1 overall record with eight solo shutouts. She currently ranks second in the nation in goals-against average with a 0.10 mark. 

Offensively, sophomore transfer Hanna Heaton has a team-high nine points, tied by Gough, with three goals and three assists each. Heaton leads the team in total shots with 45, though fifth-year senior Sarah Smith has ripped 41 in three fewer games. Smith has two goals and an assist including a game-winning goal earlier this year. 

Roanoke will counter with a Maroons squad looking to bounce back after a 2-0 loss to Washington and Lee on Wednesday night. Under the direction of long-time head coach Phil Benne, Roanoke is averaging 2.27 goals per game while holding opponents to just 0.67 per contest. Morgan O'Neill has buried three game-winning goals with five total strikes to rank second on the team in scoring. Rebecca Carr has a team-high 18 points on seven goals and four assists while coming off the bench. 

Christopher Newport is closing out the home slate with the Saturday evening matchup against the Maroons. CNU is 7-0-0 at home this season and 24-0-3 over the last three years. CNU will finish the regular season on Saturday, October 28 at Salisbury University against the Sea Gulls, kicking off at 1:00 p.m.