FROSTBURG, Md. -- The Christopher Newport University football team finished off 13-point comeback, taking the lead twice in the second half, but could not hold on against Frostburg state, falling to 0-3 with a 33-31 loss. Senior wide receiver T.J. Foster (Randolph, Va.) registered the second-best receiving day in CNU history, with 196 total yards, and senior running back Keith Gaines (Roanoke, Va.) added 140 on the ground to lead the Captains.

"There were some positive signs, but overall we made just too many mistakes. We turned the ball over three times -- that tells you all you need to know," said head coach Matt Kelchner. The third turnover proved most costly, as the fourth quarter fumble led to the game-winning drive by the Bobcats.

The Captains were down 14-0 to start and then again by a 20-7 count in the first half, but pieced together a pair of late scoring drives in the second half to enter the break down just 20-17. Both of the first half TD's were long passes to Foster, as senior QB Matt Long converted a 26-yarder with 3:38 remaining in the first quarter and sophomore Christian Woelfel-Monsivais added a 46-yard conversion to Foster with 3:58 left in the second.

The comeback would be completed in the second half, as Gaines gave CNU the lead with his second rushing TD of the season. He scampered in from 10 yards out to give CNU a 24-20 lead. Frostburg answered to go back up 27-24 on an Zach File 10-yard TD reception with just 18 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

The Captains would respond quickly, with a 6-play, 55-yard drive that lasted just 2:00, culminating in an Antoinio Epps TD grab from Long. The CNU defense would hold up on the next drive, as senior defensive end Dominik Taylor sacked the Frostburg QB for 10 yards on third down, forcing a punt. The Captains would eat up nearly six minutes of game time on the ensuing drive, led by Gaines' 39 yards rushing on eight attempts. Frostburg, though, would force a fumble and recover the ball to set-up the gamewinning drive.

With just 4:14 on the clock, the Bobcats would drive 88 yards on nine plays to score the gamewinner with just 46 seconds remaining.

Foster's 196 yards receiving were the second most in program history, behind only Jesse Bradshaw's 272-yard performance vs. N.C. Wesleyan in 2007. Gaines posted a career-high day on the ground, with 140 yards, good for 21st on the all-time list.

The Captains fall to 0-3 for just the second time in the ten-year history of the program. The team has a bye week before starting USA South action on the road in two weeks, as they will face Shenandoah (0-3) in the conference opener. The game on October 2 will kick-off at 7:00 pm in Winchester.