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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Defending national champion and preseason top-ranked Ohio Wesleyan University traveled in for the Captains 2012 season opener, and the 13th ranked CNU squad settled for a 2-2 draw. The Captains fell behind twice, but got game-tying goals from freshman Mark Brewington and sophomore Jalon Brown to come away with the season-opening tie. 

The two nationally ranked programs played in front of a record crowd reaching nearly 1,800 fans at Captains Field, as part of the season-opening Joe Pombriant/CNU Classic.

All of the goal-scoring action was packed into a ten-minute stretch spanning the two halves, starting with a Battling Bishops goal in the 41st minute. Brian Schaefer passed to Taylor Reiger at the top of the box, where he spinned a fired a shot into the left side of the goal to take a 1-0 lead. 

The Captains answered with just one minute remaining in the half, when sophomore Tommy O'Neal sent a long clearance from the back line that bounded over the last line of defense. Rookie Mark Brewington sprinted past the final defender and on his first touch, lofted a long shot over the goalkeepers head for the equalizer. 

In the second half, the Bishops again took a one-goal lead just 1:20 into the frame, when Paolo Bucci sent a pass across the box to Colton Bloecher. Bloecher one-timed his shot past the Captains' diving goalkeeper, Sean Killion. 

The lead would not hold, though, as again the Captains answered quickly. Sophomore Jalon Brown dribbled past three defenders to the left side at the top of the box and unleashed a blast into the left side of the goal. His first goal of the season would prove to be the last of the contest as the two teams battled to a 2-2 draw.

Late in the game, CNU earned a penalty kick with just over seven minutes remaining, when senior Andrew Bonorden was pulled down in the box. Ohio Wesleyan's senior goalkeeper Paul Hendricks came up with a big save on Bonorden's PK, though, to keep the game locked up at two. 

After the first half, CNU outshot Ohio Wesleyan 16-10, and edged the Bishops 19-18 for the game. Hendricks made five saves and Killion stopped four for the Captains. 

CNU will return to action on Sunday, as they host York College (Pa.), who opened with a 5-1 win over Virginia Wesleyan in the 2012 Joe Pombriant/CNU Classic. The Sunday tilt, set for 1:00 pm, will conclude the annual event after Ohio Wesleyan travels to Virginia Wesleyan for game three on Saturday.