NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The third-ranked Christopher Newport women's soccer team is set to return to action on Friday, September 5 against the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (1-0-1) at 7:00 p.m. before also hosting Mount St. Joseph University (1-0-0) at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, September 7. 

Continuing their whirlwind tour of Division III opponents, the Captains will face a team from Texas and Ohio after already taking on foes from New York and Minnesota. By the end of the regular season, CNU will face opponents from eight different states plus the District of Columbia in a 16-game slate. 

This weekend, the Captains will start with the Cru from UMHB, marking the second all-time meeting between the two programs. CNU earned the win in the lone previous matchup, 2-0, on a neutral field in San Antonio during the 2019 season. Christopher Newport legend Riley Cook scored both goals with assists frm Sarah Rhiel and current assistant coach Abby Harrigan. 

The Cru opened the season 1-0-1 with a shutout over Concordia University Texas before a 1-1 draw against Puget Sound. Senior Malyn Martinson was named the American Southwest Conference Defensive Player of the Week for playing the full 180 and helping hold the two opponents to just ten total shots. 

The Captains counter with a defense that includes Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week Addy Hennessy, who also played the full 180 minutes for the Captains. Hennessy logged an assist on the game-winning goal in the season opener and helped the back line hold the first two opponents to just five total shots. 

Offensively, junior Lexi Hazelgrove had the top start for CNU with a goal and an assist for three points. In total, eleven different CNU players registered at least one point as the Captains (2-0-0) opened with a pair of shutouts, outscoring Merchant Marine and Saint Benedict by a count of 5-0. 

The Cru scored a pair of goals on the opening weekend with Jayme Dowell and Gracie Ruthven each connecting off the bench. Ruthven took a team-high six shots, putting five on frame. 

After facing the Texas-based team on Friday night, the Captains will return to action on Sunday morning to welcome the first of three straight foes from Ohio in Mount Saint Joseph University.  The Lions hosted Ohio Wesleyan and earned a 2-0 win in the season opener last weekend and will face Virginia Wesleyan on Friday night before taking on the Captains Sunday. 

Kendal Fox and Kaitlyn Lampe scored for the Lions and Fox added an assist to lead the squad with three points in the early portion of the season. Megan Kallmeyer was challenged in goal with 10 shots on target but she stopped all of them to secure the shutout against the formidable opponent. 

It is also just the second meeting all-time for CNU against Mount St. Joseph after the two faced off in Newport News during the 2012 season. The Captains earned a 7-0 win in that contest that featured a hat trick from Emma O'Reilly and a pair of assists by Dani Gunderson, the sister of now head coach Jamie Gunderson. 

Live stats and a live video webcast will be available at CNUsports.com. Links to both can be found on the women's soccer schedule. 

After the weekend, CNU will hit the road for the first time in 2025 as they travel to Ohio to take on Case Western Reserve University (Sep 12 - 4:00 p.m.) and Ohio Wesleyan UniversitY (Sep 14 - 11:00 a.m.).