NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Preparing to host the NCAA Tournament for the fifth consecutive season, the 14th-ranked Christopher Newport women's soccer team takes on Penn State Harrisburg (14-5-4) in the opening round on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. while also hosting No. 11 Rowan vs. No. 16 Misericordia in another first-round matchup.
The Captains, champions of the Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference, come into the weekend with a 14-1-3 overall record including an 8-1-0 mark in home games this season. CNU has lost just one game at home since October 23, 2016, running together an impressive record of 55-1-6 in that timeframe.
Ticket prices for the weekend's action are $10 for adults and $5 for students/seniors. CNU students will be admitted free with valid ID, courtesy of CNU Athletics. Tickets will goon sale one hour prior to the first game each day. For fans unable to attend in person, live stats and a live video webcast of all three games will be available online -- links to both can be found at CNUsports.com or through the women's soccer bracket on NCAA.com.
The Captains and Lions will take the field first at 4:30 p.m. with the nationally-ranked matchup between Rowan (13-1-4) and Misericordia (15-4-1) scheduled for 7:00 p.m. The two advancing teams will play in the second round on Sunday, November 16 at 6:00 p.m.
CNU captured the conference championship in thrilling fashion with an overtime gamewinner from
Hanna Heaton to olly Seventko for a 1-0 win against UC Santa Cruz. The Captains are making the 17th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history including all five under the direction of head coach
Jamie Gunderson. The 2025 version of the postseason tournament is the ninth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance for the Captains, who have finished in the Final Four twice while also winning the 2021 NCAA Division III National Championship.
This season, the Captains are led by one of the most dominant defenses in the country, having allowed just five goals in 18 games for a 0.28 goals-against average. Junior goalkeeper
Amy Sidaway, the C2C Tournament MVP and first team All-Conference netminder, has started all 18 games while playing full time in 11 of the 13 team shutouts this year. Playing in front of her is senior
Kyleigh Gough, junior
Bella DiTommaso, and rookies
Addy Hennessy and
Malayah Warner. Hennessy was named the C2C Rookie of the Year while helping limit opposing offenses this year.
Offensively, Heaton has scored 21 points on eight goals and five assists to lead the way for Christopher Newport. Seventko ranks second on the team with five goals and three assists for 13 points.
Penn State Harrisburg will counter the Captains after winning the United East Championship with a penalty kick shootout victory over St. Mary's (Md.). The Lions are riding a 10-game unbeaten streak including a 1-0 win over fourth-ranked Messiah. Penn State Harrisburg ranks in the top 25 nationally in scoring offense, scoring 3.09 goals per game while being led by midfielder Diana Pon with 45 points (17g, 11a).
After the second round matchup on Sunday, the winning team will advance to the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Sectional Round.
