NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Continuing a six-game homestand to start the season, the Christopher Newport men's soccer team will host a pair at Captains Field this weekend as they welcome in William Paterson University (1-0-1) and the University of Redlands (1-1-0). Kickoff against William Paterson is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 6 while the Captains take on the Bulldogs of Redlands at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday as part of a doubleheader with the women's team.

The Captains started the year with an 0-0-2 weekend after a 1-1 tie against Merchant Marine and a scoreless draw against No. 8 Dickinson. CNU will be taking on William Paterson for the third time in the all-time series but the first matchup against the NJAC opponent since 2001. Christopher Newport captured a 3-0 win at home in 1987 and earned a 2-1 victory on a neutral field in 2001. The game against Redlands is only the second matchup after CNU traveled to California to face the Bulldogs in 2016, earning a 2-1 win. 

Admission is free to Captains Field for fans able to attend in person. Those hoping to tune in online can do so, free of charge, through a live video webcast at CNUsports.com. Live stats will also be available for both games. 

Christopher Newport seeks its first win of the year this weekend after the defense led the way on the opening weekend. Senior goalkeeper Hayden Dewey was named the Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week after surrendering just one goal in two starts while playing the full 180 minutes in net. The back line, including Yazan Yaghmmour, Carson Friedlein, Declan Karney, and Josh Monzon held both talented offenses to just six shots on-goal. 

Offensively, the Captains scored just once, when Barry Jones worked his way by the last defender after a sensational pass from Yaghmmour. Jones connected on the first goal of the season to give the home team a 1-0 lead against Merchant Marine before the team settled for a 1-1 draw. Junior forward Drew McWhinney is leading the team in total shots and shots on-goal while newcomer Riley Usher has added a pair of attempts on target as well. 

William Paterson has scored seven goals in the first two games while surrendering just one. A 6-0 win at Penn State Brandywine was the main culprit as Matty Escobar scored a brace, including the winner less than three minutes into the game. He added a pivotal game-tying strike against Stevens in the 77th minute of action to help the Pioneers escape with a 1-1 draw on the road. In goal, Luca Misko played both games and boasts a 0.50 GAA and .857 save percentage. 

On Sunday, CNU will face a SCIAC team for the first time since 2016 and it will be the first time since 1987 that a team from California has faced the home team on Captains Field. Redlands earned a 2-1 win at Rutgers-Newark before suffering a 2-1 setback at Swarthmore in their first cross-country trek of the season and will face Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday before taking on the Captains Sunday. So far, Anders Beckton, with two goals, leads the Bulldogs attack while Connor Claborn has added one goal. Zachary Darmanyan assisted on two of the three goals scored by Redlands. 

Following Sunday's matchup, the Captains will close out the homestand next weekend with matchups against Rutgers-Camden and Hampden-Sydney College next weekend.