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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The 8th-ranked Christopher Newport men's soccer team wasted little time in getting out in front of their former conference foes from Methodist University (0-3-1), scoring three first-half goals and pulling away for a 4-0 victory. The Captains improve to 5-0-0 this season, starting the year with five straight wins for just the sixth time in program history. 

Things got started early, as Christopher Newport got on the board in the fifth minute of play on a nice combination play working from the back. Senior Harry Nodwell found Jimmy Grace up the right side, who one-touched a flick over his own and his defender's head to find sophomore Zachary Ballard open at the corner of the box. The sophomore juggled the bounding ball from his right foot to his left and volleyed home a scorching shot off the crossbar and in. It was the fifth goal scored in the first ten minutes of action this season for the Captains, and would hold up as the game-winning goal. 

Just under six minutes later, the score would double off the foot of sophomore leading scorer Stephen Durbin, picking up his fourth goal of the year. On a goal kick, CNU goalkeeper Zach Pedini absolutely crushed a ball down the center of the field. The first bounce skied the defense and Durbin raced to get a touch on the ball before the Methodist keeper. He did, and lined a shot into the left side of the goal for CNU's second tally. 

The three-goal first half was finished up in the 37th minute when rookie Jordan Boone connected on his second goal of the season. Nodwell again started the play from midfield, lobbing a pass up the center of the field to find sophomore Teig Lesko. Lesko headed the ball forward where it found Boone alone at the top of the box and, after a dribble forward, he pounded a shot into the right side of the net. 

At halftime, CNU held a slight 11-8 advantage in total shots, but led by three in the scoring column. 

The final score would grow to 4-0 when junior Andrew Gogolin connected on his third goal of the season in the 55th minute. He played a picture-perfect give-and-go with Durbin near the top of the box, and when he received the pass back from his sophomore teammate, Gogolin smacked a low liner into the right corner of the goal. 

CNU notched its fifth straight multi-goal effort to start the season and wrapped up it's season slate against USA South opponents by outscoring their former conference mates 17-2 in three games. 

The defense was solid in front of Pedini, who was forced to make just two saves. Senior Sam Lesko came in for the final 22 minutes of action as the two combined for the shutout. It was the fourth straight shutout for CNU, running it's opponents scoreless streak to over 372 minutes. 

The Captains will now head cross country for a tough two-game swing in California this weekend. A nationally-ranked battle against No. 11 Redlands is on tap Friday, September 16 at 5:00 pm, followed by a matchup with Chapman University on Sunday, September 18 at 1:00 pm.