Box Score in HTML Format Box Score in PDF FormatLYNCHBURG, Va. -- The eighth-ranked Christopher Newport men's soccer team opened up the 2015 season with a 1-0 road victory over Randolph College (0-1-0) on Tuesday night, scoring the winner with less than three minutes to play. Junior forward
Patrick Burns put away the goal on an assist by midfielder
Harry Nodwell in the 88th minute of play, as CNU snuck away with a tight victory.
The defense was impressive all night for the Captains, led by senior center back
Sean Christein. Flanked by
Cameron Vaughn and
Zach Douglass, Christein and the Captains defense allowed just three total shots in the game, with none on-goal. Two of the three shots were headers off corner kicks, as the CNU defense locked down the opposing forwards all night.
Meanwhile, on the other end of the field the Captains put up 12 shots, putting five on-frame. The WildCats goalkeeper, C.J. Stevens, kept CNU off the board for over 87 minutes, turning away four shots on-goal. Then, after earning a corner kick late in the game, he couldn't stop Burns for his fifth save. Nodwell, an NSCAA All-Region midfielder last season, stepped in and delivered a picture-perfect cross on the set piece, and the leaping Burns headed home the game-winning goal for the score.
CNU finished with eight corner kicks in the game, while outshooting Randolph 12-3. Burns led the attack with both of his shots on-frame, while sophomores
Andrew Gogolin,
Henry Gotay and senior
Ryan Balfour each added two shots with one on-goal.
Head coach
Steve Shaw kicked off his 20th season at the helm with win number 270 of his career. He improves to 16-2-2 all-time in season-opening games.
The Captains return home for the 2015 Joe Pombriant/CNU Classic this weekend, starting with a doubleheader on Friday. First, Neumann will face Wesley at 5:00 pm in the opener, followed by CNU vs. Virginia Wesleyan at 7:30 pm. The tournament will continue with one game at home on Sunday, as CNU faces Neumann at 1:00 pm.
