NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- A major thunderstorm crossing throughout the state plagued many games around the Commonwealth, but at Captains Field on Wednesday night, a break in the weather allowed for over 81 minutes of action, allowing Christopher Newport to race past Randolph College in non-conference play, 4-1. Sophomore Stephen Durbin scored twice, followed by second-half goals from Andrew Gogolin and Jimmy Grace as CNU improved to 8-2-0 on the year. 

At around 8:45, with just over eight minutes remaining in the second half, lightning was spotted in the area, forcing the teams to evacuate the field. Due to NCAA rules, the team's are not allowed to resume play more than three hours after the original kickoff; with lightning still in the area at 9:30 pm, and a mandatory 30-minute delay, the game was called by the officials. NCAA regulations determine the game official after 70 minutes of play, allowing the Captains to pick up their ninth multi-goal performance of the year in the win. WIth the setback, Randolph falls to 5-2-2 on the year. 

In a battle between regionally-ranked opponents, the Captains raced out a 2-0 lead in the first 15 minutes of action. Durbin did all the work for the first goal, in the 10th minute, when he powered through a defender trying to head the ball back to the WildCats goalkeeper. Durbin raced to the ball and got a low  line drive into the left side of the goal. 

Just over five minutes later, Durbin connected on his second goal of the game, taking advantage of a fortuitous rebound on a first shot by rookie Jordan Boone. After a throw-in, a CNU defender lofted a cross into the box where Boone was back post, leaped and connected on a header that looked good. It was just inches wide, however, pounding off the right post and ricocheting back toward the center of the goal mouth. With the goalkeeper forced to play the first shot, Durbin was able to walk in the second attempt for the score. The goal, Durbin's seventh of the year, would hold up as the gamewinner. 

In the second stanza, Randolph cut the lead in half when Adam Watson connected on his fifth goal of the season. Watson got a through ball played by Blake Heatherly, raced past his defender and delivered a hard shot center. The goal came in the 64th minute and appeared to reignite the potent Randolph offense. Just miniutes later, Heatherly laced a line drive from deep range that forced CNU sophomore goalkeeper Zach Pedini to make a tough save.

On the counter attack, CNU was awarded a free kick on the left side of the field from about 30 yards out. Sophomore Daniel Zeitoun placed a picture-perfect cross into the box where Gogolin rose up and directed a header into the goal. It was Gogolin's fifth goal of the season and Zeitoun's first point of the year with the assist.

The final tally would come in the 72nd minute, when Jimmy Grace made the crowd erupt with a left-footed rocket into the upper 90. The senior smashed a hard shot from distance, all but sealing the contest with his sixth goal of the year.  

CNU outshot the Randolph attack by a final count of 19-10, including a 9-5 advantage in shots on-goal. Pedini had a strong night between the pipes for CNU, making four saves, while Randolph's freshman Erick Cortez-Martinez made five stops for the WildCats. 

Christopher Newport wraps up non-conference play with the win and will now turn focus to the remainder of the Capital Athletic Conference slate. The will play three straight away from home, beginning with a contest at Wesley College this Saturday, October 1 at 3:00 pm.