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BRIDGEWATER, Va. -- After opening the 2023 campaign with three straight victories, the Christopher Newport field hockey team jumped to 11th in the latest NFHCA National Coaches Poll and will look to continue its winnings ways on Wednesday at 4 p.m. when the squad faces a road test against Bridgewater at the Jopson Athletic Complex.
Vaulting up four spots in the national rankings, the Captains earned 1,084 points in the latest poll. The No. 11 position marks the program's highest ranking since climbing to 10th on October 9, 2018.
Elsewhere in the poll, Middlebury continued to hold down the No. 1 spot, while Johns Hopkins, Babson, Salisbury, and Messiah rounded out the top-five. Along with Salisbury, Christopher Newport also has upcoming non-conference bouts against No. 14 Kean, No. 18 Bryn Mawr, and No. 22 Catholic.
Christopher Newport will face its first test as the nation's 11th-ranked program on Wednesday when the Captains travel to Bridgewater. CNU enters the midweek battle with a 3-0 record, while the Eagles are 2-1 overall and 1-1 at home. The contest will mark Christopher Newport's first road trip of the year.
For those fans unable to attend the game, live stats and a video stream of the action will be available at BridgewaterEagles.com. Direct links to both features can be found at the top of this release and on the schedule page.
The Captains are coming off of a commanding 6-1 victory over Vassar on Saturday. Against the Brewers,
Abby Asuncion registered a pair of goals, including the 40th of her career. She now sits one away from matching the all-time program record. Meanwhile,
Caroline Hughlett and
Lindsey Loar also chipped in with three points apiece during the win.
On the defensive side,
Lily Kerr and
Ella Fallen combined for three saves, while the back line quieted the high-powered Vassar attack. During the bout, the Brewers managed only seven shots, including four on-target attempts.
Kendall Gibson and
Alexis Morales both deflected shots during the contest, while
Brooke Billhimer anchored the penalty corner defense and teamed up with
Chloe Thompson to thwart a breakaway opportunity in the opening quarter.
For their work during the game, Asuncion and Billhimer were celebrated as the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Field Hockey Players of the Week.
So far this season, Asuncion and Morales are tied for the team-lead with six points apiece. Morales also ranks seventh in the NCAA with a 1.33 assists-per-game mark. Meanwhile, as a team, Christopher Newport slots 10th in the nation in penalty-corners-per-game with a 12.67 average.
Bridgewater is coming off of a 5-0 victory over Cedar Crest on Sunday. Against the Falcons, freshman Lexi Francis polished off a hat-trick after scoring the first three goals of her collegiate career in the span of five minutes in the third quarter. Carynn Klingler also added three points as the Eagles held a 26-3 advantage in shots during the game.
So far this season, Francis, Emily Tyler and Kylie Amberger all have three goals apiece, while Ashley Nau boasts a 1.00 goals-against-average and .800 save percentage. Featuring a veteran roster, Bridgewater welcomed back its top seven scorers from 2022, including Tyler, Meredyth Rankin, and Daphne Daymude, who were All-Conference selections last year.
In 20 previous meetings between the two programs, Christopher Newport holds an 18-2 edge in the all-time series. The Captains have won the previous five tilts, including a 6-0 triumph last year. During that showdown, Thompson and
Maddison Steele had two goals apiece, while Billhimer handed out a pair of assists.
After Wednesday, CNU will return home on Saturday for a noon test against St. Mary's (Md.).
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