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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- In the final home regular season game of 2012, seniors Andrew Bonorden and Michael Zimmerman led Christopher Newport past North Carolina Wesleyan in USA South men's soccer action, 3-1. The Captains, freshly minted the 20th-ranked team in the country, improves to 11-2-2 overall and 4-1-1 in conference play. 

Zimmerman and Bonorden celebrated their Senior Night in grand fashion, as the former scored the game-tying goal and then assisted on the latter's game winner. Bonorden would add a second goal as an insurance tally later in the game. 

The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) lifted CNU to 20th in the nation this week, the first appearance for the Captains since the preseason poll. In this week's South Atlantic regional rankings, CNU was ranked 3rd, followed closely by North Carolina Wesleyan tied for fifth, setting up the big matchup. 

Despite the Captains controlling the action early, it was the Battling Bishops that would strike first. CNU outshot NC Wesleyan, 6-1, in the first half, but the Bishops made their one shot count. Rookie Andri Bjarnason put away his 14th goal after slipping past his defender on the goal line and beating CNU keeper Nolan Mann to the right. 

The lead would hold through halftime, as the visitors managed to still the Captains advances despite several great opportunities. In the second half, though, CNU amped up the pressure and would blow past the Battling Bishops. 

Just under five minutes into the frame, sophomore Jalon Brown fed Zimmerman at the top of the box and the senior midfielder blasted a left-footed shot that hooked into the right pocket. The score was Zimmerman's first of the year, and tied the game for the Captains.

He continued his hot play, setting up a couple of nice plays on the next few possessions, and unleashing another hard shot that just missed left of the goal. Minutes later, he would set up the gamewinner for Bonorden. In the 63rd minute of action, Zimmerman sent a cross into the goalkeeper's box that Bishop's keeper, Nathan Mangione, dove for, but a defender intercepted the play and the ball bounced straight up. With the open net, Bonorden put a head on it, directing the shot past Mangione for the goal. 

Bonorden capped his fine Senior Night performance with his 11th goal of the season in the 79th minute of action to put the game on ice. Brown picked up his second assist as the two worked a pair of passes together on a give and go that set up Bonorden's strike, a shot into the right side of the goal.

The Captains offense was firing on all cylinders in Wednesday's game, taking 21 shots in the second half including 13 on-goal. The midfield passing was especially crisp, setting up shots on-goal by eight different players. Bonorden led the way, scoring twice on nine shots, five on-goal. Zimmerman's three shots were next, with two on-goal. 

Mann made two saves in the game for the Captains, holding the high-powered Bishops offense to just one goal. The CNU defense of Alec Faulkner, Tommy O'Neal, Brendan Cook and Caleb Baker did a tremendous job holding N.C. Wesleyan, a team averaging 18 shots a game coming in, to just six shots in the contest. 

Head coach Steve Shaw honored the large group of seniors in a pre-game ceremony in honor of Senior Night; all ten seniors saw action in the game. 

The Captains will conclude USA South action this weekend, as they travel to Georgia to take on league newcomers LaGrange College and Piedmont College on Saturday and Sunday in a pair of 3 pm tilts. 

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