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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Despite a dominating 17-2 advantage in total shots, the 11th-ranked CNU men's soccer team saw their 11-game unbeaten streak come to an end on Sunday night, as Mary Washington (7-6-2, 4-2-0) upset the Captains, 2-1. Christopher Newport drops to 12-2-3 overall, 3-1-2 in league action, after suffering just their second loss of the season.

The shots were sparse for the visiting Eagles, but they made both attempts count, scoring on both of their two opportunities. The first goal came in the 11th minute of action off a set piece on the right side of the field. Conor Nogueira sent a pass into the box where Ben Cisse directed a header to the feet of Mike Bennett on the far post. Bennett squeezed a shot between CNU keeper Sam Lesko and the left pipe to take a 1-0 advantage. 

The lead would not last long, as the Captains answered quickly, just over four minutes later. On a set piece of their own, senior defender Alec Faulkner stepped up to take the free kick from about 40 yards out. He powered a hard line drive into the box where sophomore Jimmy Grace and Mary Washington keeper Tyler Back converged. Back got both hands on the shot, but it slipped through his grasp and bounced into the goal for Faulkner's first goal of the season. 

The game-tying knock seemed to put the Captains offense back in control,as they peppered Back for the remainder of the first half. Ryan Balfour challenged him with a hard shot just moments after the ensuing kickoff, and after a substitution, Patrick Burns got loose for a pair of attempts at Back that were turned away. Burns was played onsides into the box for his first shot attempt, but Back made a stellar sliding stop to keep the score tied. 

At halftime, the score was knotted at one, but again, the CNU offense was in control. An 8-1 advantage in total shots including a 4-1 edge in attempts on-frame. The Captains continued to play hard through the second half, forcing Back to come up with three more key stops. 

But it was the Eagles that cashed in on the go-ahead goal in the 75th minute. A counter attack after a free kick led to the Mary Washington goal, as Ben Cisse worked his way through the CNU defense, found a hole and slotted a shot past Lesko from just inside the box, about 15 yards out. 

With just 15 minutes remaining in the match, the Captains threw everything forward but could not manufacture the late equalizer. Senior Jalon Brown nearly converted with less than two minutes remaining as he worked a dribble through a defender, found a small crease and blasted a shot toward the goal, but Back made a sensational diving save to keep the lead at 2-1. 

In all, Back made six saves for the Eagles, picking up his fourth win of the season to lead Mary Washington to a key conference victory. Cisse led the offense scoring the gamewinner and adding an assist on the game's first tally. 

The Captains will need a short memory as they turn their attention to a road battle scheduled for Wednesday afternoon on the road. CNU will be pitted against nationally-ranked Salisbury University (11-1-3, 5-1-0) in a game that will have massive playoff implications as the season winds down with just three games remaining. Live stats and video will be available for the 3:30 kickoff.