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ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. -- With just over a minute left in overtime, Christopher Newport junior Stephen Durbin connected on his second goal of the game to lift the Christopher Newport men's soccer team to their ninth straight victory. The Captains (10-2-0, 5-0-0) defeated St. Mary's (Md.), 2-1, in Capital Athletic Conference action on Wednesday evening, staying perfect in league play.

The Captains captured the win to break a three-way tie atop the league standings, and are now locked with only nationally-ranked Mary Washington with sterling 5-0 records. Durbin scored both goals in the contest for CNU, picking up his ninth and tenth goals of the season.

The Seahawks took a 1-0 lead at halftime courtesy of a penalty kick goal in the 29th minute of action. Sunny Chhatani stepped up and delivered the goal for St. Mary's, giving the home team an early lead. It was the first time this season the Captains trailed at halftime, and only the second time CNU has even trailed in the opening stanza. 

Despite trailing, the Captains offense still controlled much of the action in the first half, outshooting St. Mary's, 9-4, while earning six corner kicks and putting three shots on-goal. 

It wouldn't take long into the second half for the Captains to find the equalizer, as two of the league's leading scorers hooked up for the game-tying score. Just over five minutes into the second stanza, senior Jimmy Grace delivered a low cross in from the right side, finding Durbin on the goal line to volley in for the score. The assist was Grace's fourth and kept him atop the league's scoring column with 24 points this season. 

Durbin continued to lead an assault on St. Mary's goalkeeper Zck Haussler, as the Seahawks goalkeeper faced 17 total shots and seven on-goal in regulation. 

With the score knotted at one after 90 minutes, the team's went into the sudden victory overtime period with Christopher Newport still holding firmly on the offensive momentum. After a pair of early shots off target for the Seahawks, the Captains took control, outshooting St. Mary's, 4-2, in the extra period. A flourish late in overtime led to the game-winning strike by CNU.

First, an attempt by sophomore Samsu Sallah parried off the post before a Seahawks defender could clear the shot out of bounds to set up a corner kick for the Captains. Stepping in, junior Daniel Zeitoun put a nice ball into the box where sophomore Derek Cook was able to get an attempt on frame. Haussler was up to the task on the first attempt, but couldn't corral the loose ball before Durbin stepped in and finished off the win with the put-back. 

Durbin's goal was his league-leading 10th of the season and his penchant for coming up in the clutch continued, as he notched his fifth game-winning goal. It is the third overtime game-winning goal of his career, with all three coming against CAC competition.  

CNU outshot the Seahawks, 21-12, including a 10-5 advantage in shots on-goal. Haussler made eight saves in goal for the home team, while CNU junior keeper Zach Pedini made four saves and only allowed the PK goal. 

The Captains return to action this Saturday, October 14 as they play host to the Penn State Harrisburg Lions at 7:00 pm.