Coming off Sweet 16 appearances in each of the last two seasons, The University of Scranton women's soccer team (13-3-3) begins its NCAA Tournament journey against McDaniel (11-3-5) on Saturday night in Newport News, Va. Action at Christopher Newport's Captains Field is slated to get underway at 7:30 p.m.

Christopher Newport (16-0-2) and Marymount (Va.) (7-9-5) will meet in Saturday's other first round matchup with the two winners then doing battle on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. for a spot in the Sweet 16.

Ticket prices are $10 for adults and $5 for children (17 and under). Both cash and card will be accepted as forms of payment at the gate.

If you can't make it to Newport News this weekend, there will be live video and live stats available for all three games.

The Royals earned the Landmark's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament after capturing a fourth straight conference title with a 3-0 victory over Catholic. Senior Niamh Healy (Orangeburg, N.Y./Tappan Zee) scored a pair of goals in the victory en route to earning MVP honors and junior Emily Bannon (Middletown, N.Y./Minisink Valley) added a second half tally in the victory.

McDaniel received an at-large bid out of the Centennial Conference after falling to Johns Hopkins with a 1-0 setback in the semifinals. The Green Terror are making the program's second appearance in three seasons in the field of 64 after advancing to the second round in 2021.

This marks the third ever meeting between the two programs and the first since Sept. 5, 2015.

The reigning two-time Landmark Offensive Player of the Year, Healy led the conference in goals (19), points (40) and game-winning goals (seven). She registered four multi-goal games on the year and scored in 10 consecutive games from Sept. 3-Oct 3.

Three other players have four goals apiece for the Royals in Bannon, senior Mary Haggerty (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) and senior Emily Tantala (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy).

Bannon and Haggerty also share the conference lead with nine assists.

A total of seven Royals earned All-Landmark honors as announced earlier this week with Healy, Bannon, Haggerty, junior goalie Nicole Olson (Stoughton, Mass./Ursuline Academy), sophomore Liv Enderle (Sparta, N.J./Sparta), senior Claire Mulholland (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) and senior Kaylee Murphy (Lafayette Hill, Pa./William Penn Charter).

In goal for Scranton, Olson ranks second in the conference in a trio of statistical categories: goals against average (0.80), save percentage (.803) and shutouts (eight). The Royals have conceded just 16 goals as a team, which is also the second fewest in the Landmark.

McDaniel is led offensively by Liz LeChard and Jessica Weinoldt who have four goals apiece, while Allison Storm is tops on the team with four assists.

The Green Terror have allowed just six goals as a team, which is tied for the fifth fewest in all of Division III and goalie Lauren Hoolahan owns 12 shutouts on the year.

Click here to view the full 2023 NCAA Tournament bracket.