Video Broadcast // Live Stats
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The Christopher Newport field hockey team climbed to ninth in the NFHCA National Coaches Poll ahead of the squad's nationally-ranked showdown with No. 20 Catholic on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Jennings Family Stadium.
Earning 1,028 points in the latest poll, CNU secured the program's highest national ranking since slotting seventh on September 18, 2018. Continuing their march up the rankings, the Captains opened 2023 listed 15th by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association before settling into 11th last week.
At the top of the poll, Middlebury continued to hold down the No. 1 position, while Babson, Johns Hopkins, Messiah, and Tufts rounded out the top-five.
Several of Christopher Newport's upcoming opponents also earned high marks in the national poll. Along with No. 20 Catholic, the Captains will also square off against No. 17 Bryn Mawr on Saturday in Pennsylvania before battling No. 12 Kean on September 30 in Winchester, Virginia.
CNU also has a Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference duel against No. 6 Salisbury slated for October 18.
So far this season, Christopher Newport boasts a pristine 5-0 record, including a 4-0 mark at home. The Captains are coming off of a 6-1 victory over St. Mary's (Md.) on Saturday. Against the Seahawks,
Abby Asuncion pocketed her 42nd career goal, establishing a new program record. Additionally,
Katie Abendschoen,
Caroline Hughlett, and
Alexis Morales all notched three points apiece.
On the defensive side,
Lily Kerr collected four saves, while the Captains limited SMC to only five on-target shots. Frustrating the opposition throughout the contest,
Kendall Gibson deflected a pair of attempts by the visitors, while Asuncion and
Courtney Hughlett also blocked shots to help lock down their high-powered competition.
For their work, Abendschoen and Kerr were rewarded with the league's Player of the Week accolades.
Overall this season, Christopher Newport ranks fifth in the NCAA with a stellar .889 save percentage and eighth with a 0.60 goals-against-average. The squad's 4.20 goals-per-game rate is also 11th in the country, while Morales sits 11th on the individual charts with a 1.20 assists-per-game mark.
Catholic enters Wednesday with a 4-1 record, including a 2-0 ledger in road tilts. The Cardinals opened the season with back-to-back triumphs over nationally-ranked foes after upending No. 11 TCNJ and No. 3 Rowan by identical 2-1 margins. The squad also notched a 2-1 win in its last appearance after edging Juniata in the Landmark Conference opener.
Adept at drawing corners, Catholic is averaging 10.20 per game this season, which stands 24th in the country. The team is also 24th in scoring defense, allowing just 0.96 goals per contest. On an individual level, Abigail Kearney is 26th in goals-against-average (0.96) and 36th in save percentage (.808), while Gracie Burford boasts a pair of defensive saves.
On the offensive end, Mary Rojack has three goals, including both strikes during the team's win over No. 11 TCNJ. Niki Micciche also has three tallies, including the game-winner against No. 3 Rowan. Meanwhile, Kellie Caputo has a team-high two assists.
In 18 previous meetings between the two programs, Christopher Newport has a 12-6 edge in the series. Last year, the Captains notched a 1-0 win in Washington, D.C. as
Delaney Norr scored the game's lone goal, while Kerr polished off the shutout.
A live broadcast of Wednesday's game will be available on CNU's official YouTube channel. The Captains will also provide live stats of the contest at CNUsports.com. Direct links to both features can be found at the top of this release and on the schedule page.
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