Live Stats // Video Stream
OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- The fifth-ranked Christopher Newport men's lacrosse team will face a pair of top-10 tests this week at the Mustang Classic as the Captains are set to square off against No. 4 Dickinson on Friday at 1:15 p.m. before battling No. 10 St. Lawrence at 1:15 p.m. on Saturday at Mustang Stadium.
The Captains enter Friday's bout with a 5-1 record, including a 1-1 ledger in road action. Meanwhile, Dickinson is 5-0, and St. Lawrence sits at 6-0.
For those fans planning to attend the Mustang Classic, daily tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $5 for students. Children under 8 will be admitted free of charge. Additionally, for those unable to make the trip, Stevenson will provide live stats and a video stream of the action. Direct links to both features can be found at the top of this release and on the schedule page.
Christopher Newport is coming off of its first setback of the year after dropping an 18-10 decision at No. 3 Tufts last Wednesday. Against the Jumbos,
Alex Brendes deposited four goals on just five shots, while
Andrew Cook added his fourth hat-trick of the year. Less than 24 hours after that performance, Cook was named to the Tewaaraton Award Watch List, becoming the first Division III player to earn that recognition in 2024.
Along with the high-volume scorers,
Will Mercado,
Brett Jackson, and
Coby Auslander also landed strikes for the Captains, while
Drew Miller handed out two assists. On the defensive end,
Ryan Young forced five turnovers, equaling the most by a Captain in two years.
Declan McCulloch also added seven saves in just 19 minutes of work after taking over in the crease late in the third quarter.
With their performance in 2024, several Captains are fast approaching career milestones. Jackson is just two points shy of becoming the 19th player in program history to reach 100 career points. Incredibly, he would join five of his current teammates in that club as Brendes, Auslander, Miller, Cook, and
Robby Adams have already reached that benchmark.
Along with Jackson's historic chase, Auslander is 10 goals away from 100. He would become just the third player in program history to reach 100 career goals and assists, joining Miller as well as former All-American Matt Crist.
Among all active players across all three levels of the NCAA, Auslander ranks seventh with 141 assists, while Brendes is sixth with 182 goals. Additionally,
Zac Hanway's 3,510 minutes of action since 2020 are the most of any goalie in the country.
Friday's bout against the 15th-ranked Captains will continue a tough early-season schedule for Dickinson. The Red Devils have already defeated No. 17 Stevens along with Kenyon, Roanoke, and Stevenson, who are all receiving votes in the latest USILA National Coaches Poll. Last Saturday, the squad knocked off the Mustangs, 14-6, as Skyler Schluter notched four points, while Patrick Scarborough contributed 15 saves.
Overall this season, Dickinson ranks 14th in the country in ground balls-per-game (43.80) and 21st in clearing percentage (.885). On an individual level, Scarborough is 41st with an 8.92 goals-against-average, while Matt Thurston has a team-high 12 goals. Meanwhile, John McKee has won 67 of his 115 faceoffs to go along with 42 ground balls.
St. Lawrence brings a pristine 6-0 record into the weekend bolstered by an outstanding defensive unit. The Saints are allowing just 6.00 goals per game, which ranks seventh in the NCAA. The squad has also limited its opposition's attempts by winning 72 percent of its faceoffs. That ranks ninth in the country. On an individual level, Padraic Condon is fourth with a .765 faceoff percentage.
Offensively, St. Lawrence is led by Judge Murphy, who sits 23rd in the nation with a 5.83 points-per-game rate. Ben Hutchinson is also in the top-50 nationally with a 5.20 mark. In the crease, Michael Marinello is 10th with a .646 save percentage and seventh with a 6.08 goals-against-average.
Friday's match-up will mark the third all-time meeting between Dickinson and CNU after the Captains notched a pair of wins last year, including a 12-11 overtime triumph in the NCAA Quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Saturday's bout will mark the first featuring Christopher Newport and St. Lawrence.
After this weekend, CNU will continue its nationally-ranked showdowns on March 23 with a 6 p.m. game against No. 12 Lynchburg at Jennings Family Stadium.
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