Vassar: Live Stats
Middlebury: Live Stats // Video Stream

WELLESLEY, Mass. -- Due to the weather forecast for this weekend in Massachusetts, the top-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team will begin its New England expedition a day earlier than expected as the Captains will square off with Vassar on Friday at 1 p.m. at Wellesley College before battling No. 6 Middlebury on Sunday at noon at Harvard.

Previously, CNU was supposed to face Vassar on Saturday, but the potential effects of the approaching nor'easter forced the teams to move the game to Friday afternoon.

Entering the trip, Christopher Newport sits at 6-0 on the season, including 4-0 on the road. Meanwhile, Vassar is 5-2, and Middlebury is 4-1. Prior to Sunday's showdown, the Panthers will face league-rival Bowdoin on Saturday in Maine.

The Captains are coming off of a 4-0 victory at Bridgewater on Wednesday evening. Against the Eagles, Lindsey Loar scored twice, which marked her third straight multi-goal appearance. With her recent run, she became only the second Captain to post at least two goals in three consecutive contests after CNU Hall of Famer Wendy Wilson previously accomplished the feat from 2000-01.

Along with Loar, Courtney Hughlett matched her career-high with four points, including a pair of assists. She also provided one of the defensive highlights of the game after blocking a shot with a diving deflection in the final minutes of regulation to seal the squad's third straight shutout.

Meanwhile, Ellen Gallagher pitched in with her first collegiate goal after opening the scoring in the first quarter. With that tally, she became the sixth different Captain to record a game-winning goal this year, joining Loar, Caroline Hughlett, Riley Iasiello, Ellie Nuckols, and Emma Weber.

On the defensive side, CNU allowed just two shots against Bridgewater. In addition to Hughlett's work in the fourth quarter, Ella Fallen kicked away the only on-target attempt of the game following a corner in the opening stanza.

So far this season, Christopher Newport is allowing just 0.33 goals-per-game, which is a tick better than last year's record-setting mark of 0.39. Putting their performance into perspective, the Captains have seven more goals than their opponents have shots. So far this season, CNU has found the back of the cage 28 times, while the opposition has taken only 21 total attempts.

Overall, the team's 4.67 goals-per-game average is also the highest rate in program history, topping the 4.47 average in 2004. Showing off a well-balanced attack, Christopher Newport has received goals from 13 different players, including a team-high nine strikes from Loar. Meanwhile, Weber and the Hughlett twins are tied for the team-lead with four assists apiece.

Vassar comes into Friday's battle on a three-game winning streak, including a huge 3-2 triumph over No. 9 Stevens last Saturday. Then, on Tuesday, the Brewers came back and upended Scranton, 1-0, in an overtime shootout. During the marathon, Audrey Izzo, Sophia Jammar, and Autumn Dowiak all converted their shootout attempts, while Kendra Pitts made three stops to secure the win.

Tabbed as the preseason favorite in the Liberty League, Vassar won last year's conference crown and earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021. So far this year, the Brewers boast one of the country's leading defensive units, which ranks 22nd nationally with a 0.86 goals-against-average. On an individual level, Pitts has a stellar .893 save percentage, while Mackenzie Allen leads the attack with four goals.

Middlebury currently sits at 4-1 on the season, including back-to-back wins against No. 13 Hamilton and No. 17 Amherst last weekend. Meanwhile, the program's only loss came in a hard-fought 1-0 setback against No. 6 Babson on September 13. Overall this year, the Panthers rank second nationally in scoring defense (0.25 goals-against-average), fifth in save percentage (.900), and sixth in scoring margin (3.00 goals-per-game).

A perennial power, Middlebury has made 22 straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including seven consecutive national titles from 2017-24. This year's squad is led by Izzy Redzic, who ranks ninth nationally in both goals-against-average (0.50) and save percentage (.875). Meanwhile, Emma McCann leads the country in assists-per-game with a remarkable 1.25 average. Additionally, reigning All-American Megan Fuqua leads the Panthers with 11 points, including five goals.

Sunday's meeting will be the first ever battle between CNU and Middlebury, while Friday's contest will mark the fifth showdown between Christopher Newport and Vassar. The two programs last met in 2024 with the Captains notching a 2-1 win in Poughkeepsie, New York. Incidentally, all three goal-scorers from that game will be back in action this week as Riley Iasiello and Avery Mast produced a pair of strikes for the victors, while Karina Hoffman scored for the Brewers.

Following the Massachusetts trip, CNU will remain on the road for a trek to Batten University on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

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