Live Stats // Video Stream
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The fourth-ranked Christopher Newport men's lacrosse team will open up the NCAA Tournament on Friday at 4 p.m. when the Captains host Hope in a second-round battle at Jennings Family Stadium.
Entering the national playoffs, Christopher Newport sits at 16-2 overall, including 8-0 at home. Meanwhile, Hope is 13-5 with a 4-4 mark on the road.
Tickets for Friday's game will be $10 for adults and $5 for seniors, students, and children. They can be purchased at the stadium one hour prior to the game with cash only. Christopher Newport students will be admitted free with a valid ID.
For those fans unable to attend the game, live stats and a video broadcast of the action will be available at CNUsports.com. Direct links to both features can be found at the top of this release and on the schedule page.
Along with Christopher Newport's game against Hope, No. 7 Gettysburg will battle Scranton in another second-round tilt at 7 p.m. at Jennings Family Stadium. The winner of those games will face off on Saturday at 7 p.m. with a berth to the national quarterfinals on the line.
The Captains, who earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year, will open the playoffs at home for the second consecutive season. In 2022, Christopher Newport hosted the first two weekends of the tournament as the squad knocked off Sewanee and No. 14 Wesleyan before bowing out to No. 6 York (Pa.) in overtime during the quarterfinals.
This year's edition of the squad has already faced nine battles against teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Among the program's highlights during the regular season, Christopher Newport took down Dickinson, Grove City, RIT, St. John Fisher, and Washington & Lee, who all claimed their respective conference titles. The Captains also beat Lynchburg and Williams, who earned at-large bids to the national playoffs.
Entering the postseason, Christopher Newport ranks among the national leaders in a variety of categories. The team is eighth in shooting percentage (.353), 10th in clearing percentage (.890), and 11th in scoring offense (17.22 goals-per-game). The Captains have also posted a .639 faceoff percentage and converted 46 percent of their man-up opportunities. Both of those rates rank 16th nationally.
On an individual level,
Warner Cabaniss is 11th in the NCAA in ground balls per game (10.28) and 12th in faceoff percentage (.680). Meanwhile, on the offensive end,
Brett Jackson is eighth with 12 man-up goals, while
Coby Auslander is 18th with 48 assists.
In addition to placing themselves among the top performers in the country, the Captains have also rewritten the program record books. Auslander's 48 assists and Jackson's 12 man-up goals are both school records. Cabaniss also established new single-season marks with 185 ground balls and 264 faceoff victories during the regular season. Meanwhile, on the back end,
Zac Hanway is just one save shy of becoming the second player in program history to record at least 200 stops in a single campaign. Former All-American Scott McAneney pocketed 243 in 2019.
On the other side of the field, Hope enters the playoffs on a seven-game winning streak, including a 23-14 triumph over top-seeded Albion in the MIAA Championship on May 6. During their recent run, the Flying Dutchmen have won every game by at least six goals, including three double-digit triumphs
Overall this season, Hope boasts a daunting defensive unit that ranks 13th nationally in takeaways per game (13.39). Luke Wierengo leads the team with 39 caused turnovers, while John Foster has 31 strips of his own. Along with the back line, John Shea ranks in the top-50 nationally with a 10.15 goals-against-average while boasting a .493 save percentage.
Offensively, the Flying Dutchmen have been led by Michael Mann, who has 82 points and 57 goals. Colin Stecco also ranks 25th nationally with a 2.62 assists-per-game average. On faceoffs, Caden Brainard has a .585 winning percentage while adding 99 ground balls.
Friday's bout will mark the first meeting between Christopher Newport and Hope in men's lacrosse.
---ISH---
