NORFOLK, Va. - Martin Brown won 6-4, 6-2 at No. 5 for the clinching point Friday night as Christopher Newport registered a notable early-season victory, defeating St. Joseph's of Philadelphia 5-2 on Old Dominion's indoor courts.

Rush Cole, beginning his 14th year as head coach, said it was the first time the Captains had beaten a Division I team in his tenure. CNU hopes to use this victory as a springboard toward the Division III top 25.

Brown, Eric Shulman and Dusty Nelson won in singles and doubles for the Captains (2-0), who were coming off a 9-0 victory over Virginia Wesleyan earlier in the day.

The Hawks, who are in their first year under college tennis Hall of Fame coach Ian Crookenden, fell to 0-4. Coincidentally, Crookenden is a former Wake Forest coach -- during the time former Hampton Roads Academy standout Jimmy Chou played for the Demon Deacons -- and doubles partner of all-time greats Arthur Ashe and Charles Pasarell.

Since the match was against a Division I team, the three doubles matches combined were worth one point. Shulman and Nelson won 8-5 at No. 2, but Lorenzo Sison and Gian Heyer took a 5-2 lead before dropping an 8-6 decision at 1.

That left the point up to No. 3 team Brown and Garrett Widing, who won 9-8 (7-5) to put the Captains ahead 1-0 entering singles.

In singles, No. 1 Shulman, No. 3 Sison, No. 5 Brown and No. 6 Nelson prevailed in straight sets. Brown won his match just before Sison finished a 6-4, 7-6 (7-1) triumph.

Widing, who played the last match on the court, won the first set but fell 6-4 in the third.

The Captains return to action at 1 p.m. Saturday against Norfolk State, also on ODU's indoor courts. They are slated to face Richmond and ODU on Sunday.

CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT 5, ST. JOSEPH'S 2
Doubles
1. Peter Cognetti-Alex Veronis (SJU) d. Gian Heyer-Lorenzo Sison 8-6.
2. Dusty Nelson-Eric Shulman (CNU) d. Michael Stauble-Matt Prusack 8-5.
3. Martin Brown-Garrett Widing (CNU) d. Delfin Bernal-Kristian Broaddus 9-8 (7-5)
(CNU wins doubles point)

Singles
1. Shulman (CNU) d. Stauble 6-2, 7-6 (8-6)
2. Veronis (SJU) d. Widing 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
3. Sison (CNU) d. Prusack 6-4, 7-6 (7-1)
4. Tommy Gates (SJU) d. Heyer 6-1, 6-3
5. Brown (CNU) d. Bernal 6-4, 6-2
6. Nelson d. Broaddus 6-3, 6-3

Records
CNU 2-0, St. Joseph's 0-4

  NORFOLK, Va. - Christopher Newport began its dual-match season with a 9-0 triumph Friday against Virginia Wesleyan on Old Dominion's Folkes-Stevens indoor hard courts.

Ten of the 11 Captains participated in the match, in which CNU lost just 10 games of 106 played. Gian Heyer, Kyle Tobin, Garrett Widing and Robbie Wagner each registered their initial dual-match victories as Captains.

(CNU then beat Division I St. Joseph's of Philadelphia 5-2 later Friday.)

The Marlins' squad features a couple of Peninsula players: freshman Donnie Greathouse, a Grafton High graduate, and sophomore Darrell Fountain from Lafayette.

DOUBLES
1. Gian Heyer-Lorenzo Sison d. Devin Crosby-Zak Bartley 8-4.
2. Kyle Tobin-Dylan Young d. Luke Blum-Donnie Greathouse 8-1.
3. Tom Whaling-Chris Yost d. Todd Lauber-Darrell Fountain 8-0.

SINGLES
1. Garrett Widing d. Crosby 6-1, 6-0.
2. Sison d. Bartley 6-0, 6-0.
3. Martin Brown d. Greathouse 6-0, 6-1.
4. Dusty Nelson d. Jamie Griffin 6-0, 6-0.
5. Tobin d. Blum 6-0, 6-1.
6. Robbie Wagner d. Wels Lawrence 6-1, 6-1.

Record
Virginia Wesleyan 0-1.