Live Stats // Video Stream
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. -- The second-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team will face its second neutral-site test of the season on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. when the Captains square off with Messiah in Fredericksburg, Virginia at Mary Washington's Battleground Turf Field.
Entering the weekend, CNU sits at 6-0 on the season, while Messiah is 2-3.
For those fans unable to attend the game, live stats and a video stream of the action will be available at CNUsports.com. Direct links to both features can be found at the top of this release and on the schedule page.
The Captains have shut out their last four foes, which equals the second-longest streak in program history. Christopher Newport has not allowed a goal since the squad's last trip to Fredericksburg when the team knocked off Johns Hopkins, 5-3. Overall, CNU has blanked five of its six opponents this year, which is tied for the most shutouts in the country in 2025.
On an individual level,
Lily Kerr is 12th in the nation with a 0.60 goals-against-average. In her career, the senior goalie has a 0.65 goals-against-average, which is the finest rate of any active goalie in the entire NCAA. Her 51 career wins are also tied for the most among all current keepers in the country.
Along with Kerr's work between the pipes,
Kendall Gibson has a defensive save and two other blocked shots, while
Morgan Shealer leads the Captains with four deflections on the back end.
Courtney Hughlett has also blocked a pair of rips, including one in the victory over Denison on Sunday.
On the other side of the ball, Christopher Newport is averaging 4.67 goals per game, which is the second-highest mark in the country. Four Captains have already posted at least four goals this season, including Hughlett, who leads the team with five strikes.
Lindsey Loar,
Riley Iasiello, and
Emily Evans also have four apiece, while
Caroline Hughlett and
Avery Mast are tied for the team-lead with five assists each.
In addition to the veteran contributors, five players have already notched their first career point this year. Among that group, sophomore
Kelly Via and freshman
Emma Weber have five points apiece, while fellow newcomers
Victoria Trejo-Wearden,
Mari de Castro, and
Kate Engle have all found the back of the cage as well.
Messiah comes into the weekend on a two-game roll, including a huge 1-0 overtime victory against No. 11 Ursinus on Wednesday. Headlining the action, Joy Lippert made nine saves during the game, including four in the final 30 seconds of regulation. Meanwhile, on the offensive side, Aubrey Clark landed the lone goal off a feed from Caitlyn Weatherill to cap off the festivities in the 63rd minute.
After advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight last year, Messiah entered 2025 ranked ninth in the NFHCA National Preseason Coaches Poll. So far this season, Clark leads the Falcons with a pair of goals after securing the game-winning tally during back-to-back 1-0 wins over Ursinus and Montclair State. Weatherill also has two assists this year, while Lippert has a 1.30 goals-against-average and .774 save percentage.
In three previous meetings between the two programs, Messiah has a 2-1 edge in the series. Last year, Christopher Newport picked up its lone win against the Falcons after posting a 2-1 triumph in Fredericksburg.
After this weekend, CNU will continue its early-season travels with a trip to New Jersey. The Captains will open the trek on September 27 at 11 a.m. at Montclair State before heading to No. 16 Stevens just 24 hours later.
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