Video Stream // Live Stats
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Battling for league supremacy, the third-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team will host sixth-ranked Salisbury in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Championship at 5 p.m. on Saturday at Jennings Family Stadium.
Entering the title bout, CNU sits at 16-0 after claiming the regular season league crown with a perfect 2-0 mark in conference bouts. Meanwhile, Salisbury is 13-3 and advanced to the championship game after knocking off Mary Washington, 6-1, in the semifinals on Wednesday.
For those fans unable to attend the game, a video stream of the action will be available on Christopher Newport's official YouTube channel. The Captains will also provide live stats at CNUsports.com. Direct links to both features can be found at the top of this release and on the schedule page.
CNU reached the playoffs with an unblemished record for just the second time in school history. Previously, only the 2013 Captains had accomplished that feat after they wrapped up the regular season with a pristine 18-0 record on the way to a trip to the NCAA Final Four.
This year, Christopher Newport has featured a well-balanced team that has excelled on both ends of the field. Currently, the squad ranks third in the NCAA in scoring offense and fifth in scoring defense. Overall, the Captains are averaging 4.56 goals per contest while surrendering just 0.56 per outing. Their 4.00 scoring margin is the fourth-highest in the country.
On an individual level,
Lily Kerr is fourth in the NCAA in save percentage (.875) and sixth in goals-against-average (0.59). Offensively,
Alexis Morales is seventh in assists-per-game with a 0.75 rate. Her 12 total helpers this year are just one shy of matching Haylie Black's single-season school record set in 2006.
CNU was last in action on Sunday when the team took down Mary Washington, 4-2. During that bout,
Caroline Hughlett led the way with five points, including a pair of strikes, while
Abby Asuncion also notched a multi-goal effort. Additionally,
Lainey Pratzner and
Courtney Hughlett chipped in with assists, while the defense limited the Eagles to only six total shots.
Salisbury is also coming off of a commanding victory over Mary Washington after surging past the Eagles, 6-1, in the semifinals on Wednesday. Madelyn Reed, Arden Hunteman, and Marli McDorman all notched two goals apiece, while Mack Dinopoulos handed out a pair of helpers. The Sea Gulls also starred on the other end, surrendering just four shots, including two on-target attempts.
Overall this season, Salisbury ranks seventh in the NCAA in save percentage (.861) and eighth in goals-against-average (0.61). The team has also strung together three straight games with at least four goals, including lopsided victories over No. 17 Rowan and No. 22 TCNJ to wrap up the regular season.
CNU and Salisbury last met on October 18 when the Captains collected a 3-1 victory at Jennings Family Stadium. After the Sea Gulls opened the scoring less than a minute into regulation, the hosts shot back with three straight goals in the second quarter. Asuncion,
Caroline Hughlett, and
Maddison Steele all struck for the victors, while Morales set up the first two daggers.
Defensively, Kerr matched her career-high with 13 saves against the Sea Gulls, while
Brooke Billhimer picked up a defensive save.
Saturday's showdown will mark the sixth straight conference championship featuring the Captains and Sea Gulls. The two teams have faced off for the league title every season since 2017. Salisbury has won the last four contests after CNU posted a 2-1 double-overtime victory during the 2017 tilt.
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