Babson: Live Stats // Video Stream ($)
Endicott: Live Stats // Video Stream

BABSON PARK, Mass. -- Continuing its early-season road swing, the fourth-ranked Christopher Newport field hockey team heads to Massachusetts for a pair of games as the Captains will battle No. 3 Babson on Saturday at noon before traveling to No. 10 Endicott on Monday at 11 a.m.

Both CNU and Babson enter the weekend with identical 1-0 records, while Endicott currently sits at 0-1. The Gulls will host New Paltz on Saturday at 11 a.m. before welcoming the Captains to town on Monday.

For those fans unable to make the trip, live stats will be available for both games. Meanwhile, Babson will provide a video stream for paid subscribers of Flosports, while Endicott will have a free broadcast through ECGulls.com. Direct links can be found at the top of this release and on the schedule page.

Christopher Newport opened up the 2026 campaign with a 2-0 triumph at No. 23 Washington and Lee on Tuesday. Against the Generals, Riley Iasiello kicked off her senior season with three points, including the game-winning goal. Kate Engle also added a second-half strike, while Emma Weber pitched in with an assist.

In addition to the offensive standouts, Ella Fallen collected two saves and became just the fourth goalkeeper in program history to complete a shutout in her first collegiate start. Overall, the defense limited W&L to just four total shots, while Caroline Hughlett and Gigi Stephan both blocked attempts to keep the Generals off the scoreboard.

Tuesday's victory was the program's 19th consecutive game allowing one goal or less dating back to August 31, 2025.

Continuing an early-season gauntlet, the Captains will face two more nationally-ranked tests this weekend against No. 3 Babson and No. 10 Endicott. The 2026 squad is the first team in program history to square off with three consecutive top-25 opponents in the regular season. Previously, the 2006, 2014, and 2025 Captains all had similar stretches, but they included postseason tilts.

Adding another layer to CNU's grueling start to the 2026 campaign, this season is the first time the Captains have started a year with three straight games on the road in more than a decade. The last team to kick off a season with a similar run was the legendary 2013 crew, which opened with a neutral-site showdown against Hendrix before traveling to Rhodes and Lynchburg. Three months later, that battle-tested team went on to reach the NCAA Final Four for the first time in school history.

Babson and Endicott kicked off their fall campaigns with a match-up against each other on Tuesday. During that showdown, Babson recorded a 2-0 road victory as Helen DiGiovanni scored the only two goals during the game. Meanwhile, Endicott's Faith Minickene hauled in six saves, while Madison Tibbals notched two on the way to the win.

Incidentally, Minickene and Tibbals were both named to the NFHCA National Preseason Watchlist as two of the top goalkeepers in the country.

Featuring a veteran-laden roster, Babson boasts 18 returners and seven starters from last year's team, which produced a 22-2 record and advanced to the NCAA Final Four for the second time in three seasons. That group includes reigning All-American Penny Baroni, who ranked second on the team with 29 points last fall. Sophomore Anna Bonazzoli also returns after earning a first-team All-Region citation while anchoring a back line that ranked 13th in the nation in scoring defense with a 0.89 goals-against-average.

Equally impressive, Endicott compiled a 21-2 record last year while reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Gulls feature a pair of returning All-Americans, including Minickene, who produced a 0.76 goals-against-average and six shutouts last fall. Meanwhile, Riley Perkins also earned national honors and was recognized as the league's Defensive Player of the Year. A well-rounded contributor, she also added 12 goals and seven assists during a standout sophomore campaign.

After wrapping up their road trip on Monday, the Captains will return to Jennings Family Stadium for their home opener on September 12 at 11 a.m. against New Paltz.

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