NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- A pair of the nation's top teams are set to face off in Newport News on Saturday afternoon as the second-ranked CNU women's soccer team will host 12th-ranked Wisconsin-La Crosse for a Noon kickoff. Both teams sport spotless records to this point in the season, combining for a 15-0-0 record as two of only nine NCAA Division III teams left without a loss or tie this season.
Due to the weather impact of Tropical Storm Ophelia, the game has been moved to Jennings Family Stadium. Kickoff remains at Noon.
In addition to the Saturday soiree, the Eagles (7-0-0) will also take on Virginia Wesleyan University in a second game at Jennings Family Stadium on Sunday morning. Kickoff in the neutral site bout is set for 10:45 a.m. Both games will be presented in a live video webcast, weather permitting, and live stats will be available with links found at CNUsports.com.
The No. 2 Captains are off to an 8-0-0 start this season, leading the nation in total victories so far. CNU has protected the home field, playing on nearby Captains Field, incredibly well as the squad is 21-0-2 under the direction of head coach
Jamie Gunderson over the last three seasons. Saturday's game will be the first ever played by the CNU Women's Soccer team in Jennings after the stadium opened in 2019 and the first home game on turf since defeating Southern Virginia, 2-0, on October 27, 2018.
On the flip side, Wisconsin-La Crosse boasts the sixth longest active winning streak in road games with eight straight victories as the visiting team. The Eagles have been a potent attack so far this season, averaging 3.14 goals per game and ranking 30th in the nation in scoring offense. La Crosse has ripped a relentless 29.4 shots per game while earning 11.3 corner kicks per contest, leading Division III. The Eagles pair a top-30 offense with a top-30 defense, boasting a 0.43 goals-against average to rank 27th in the country.
Christopher Newport will counter with a stout defense of their own, ranking 11th nationally in goals against average with a 0.25 mark. CNU also has an unrelenting attack that ranks fifth nationally in shots per game and 11th in corner kicks. The Captains are led offensively by rookie
Alex Devers with three goals and senior
Corinne Kulik with two goals and two assists. The CNU defense has only surrendered two goals this season with neither coming in the run of play as both were penalty kicks.
Reanna Slater,
Nyah Savage, and
Jackie Stallard deserve the bulk of the credit defensively, while
Ellie Cox and
Kyleigh Gough have helped control the defensive midfield.
Following the Top-25 showdown, the Captains will face a three-game road swing starting on Sunday, October 1 at Washington and Lee, currently ranked No. 24 in the nation. CNU will then travel to Mary Washington (Oct 7) and Southern Virginia (Oct 10) before returning home for three of the last four games in the regular season.
