Box Score in HTML Format

FROSTBURG, Md. -- After the home team managed to tie the game in the second half, the high-powered Christopher Newport offense responded just 30 seconds later on a goal by sophomore Zachary Ballard, and the Captains slipped past Frostburg State, 2-1. The Captains won the Capital Athletic Conference matchup, picking up their fifth straight victory in the process, and improved to 11-2-0 overall with a 4-0-0 mark in conference play.  

With the setback, Frostburg State falls to 6-7-0 overall with a 2-2-0 record against CAC opponents. With Ballard's gamewinner, the Captains registered their 12th multi-goal performance in 12 games this season, scoring 41 goals so far in the 2016 season. 

The scoring would open in the 22nd minute when sophomore Stephen Durbin connected on his team-leading eighth goal of the season. He is now tied with Nick Tait from St. Mary's (Md.) atop the league stat leaders for goals scored after he connected off a pass from junior Andrew Gogolin. Gogolin blitzed toward the goal line and found space to cross the ball back toward the middle of the box, where Durbin was there to finish. 

CNU nearly tacked on another goal minutes later, when rookie Samsu Sallah hit the post with his first attempt of the day in the 30th minute. Action was relatively limited for both teams after that, with only one shot in the final 15 minutes of the first half. 

The Captains defense held strong through the first 45 minutes, allowing just one shot from Kelvin Tata that would go wide. The Captains offense took six attempts in the first half, with Hassan Mostafa making one save for the Bobcats. 

Things would quickly ramp up offensively in the second half, as both teams threatened, and converted, in the first 10 minutes of the stanza. First, Frostburg State would connect on the equalizer in the 53rd minute when Mukor Harris put away a header with 52:52 showing on the clock. The Captains, however, would respond immediately just 34 seconds later. 

The CNU offense would drive into the box with multiple options on the play, started by Durbin who hammered a shot toward the goal. The ball eventually reached Ballard at the top of the box, who managed a perfectly-placed left-footed liner into the top of the goal. His sixth goal of the season would hold up as his second game-winning strike. 

The Captains would pepper Mostafa with attempts over the next 13 minutes, looking for an insurance goal. Jimmy Grace and Gogolin each forced the Bobcats keeper to make saves while Daniel Zeitoun, Hunter Johnson and Sallah all added attempts against the Bobcats defense in that stretch. 

Momentum firmly in their grasp, the Captains started to slow things down in the final ten minutes. Frostburg State managed three shots in the final 11:10 of the contest, with sophomore goalkeeper Zach Pedini making two stops.

Overall, the Captains held a 13-5 advantage in total shots while putting five shots on-goal. CNU managed six corner kicks while the home team never took one. Mostafa finished with three saves in the loss, while Pedini had two saves while picking up the win for CNU.

The Captains will return to action on Tuesday, October 11th, hosting St. Mary's College of Maryland in a matchup of two top teams in the CAC. The Captains are tied for first with Mary Washington with matching 4-0 records, while the Seahawks are 3-1 to start the league season, tied for third place in the standings with Penn State Harrisburg. Kickoff at Captains Field is set for 7:00 pm.