Box Score in HTML Format

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- A stifling defensive performance and another multi-goal effort by the Christopher Newport offense lifted CNU to a 3-0 win over Salisbury University on a beautiful fall evening at Captains Field on Wednesday night. The win, coming in the Capital Athletic Conference Semifinals, advances Christopher Newport to their second straight championship bout on Saturday, November 4. 

CNU improved to 14-2-1 while Salisbury falls to 8-9-3 with the setback.

The Captains defense held the Sea Gulls to just six total shots, with only two on frame in the tournament matchup. Starting defenders Zach Douglass, Derek Cook, and Davis Pillow played the full 90 minutes in front of junior goalkeeper Zach Pedini, while junior Bobby Seifert played all but three minutes in the contest. 

While the defense held off the Sea Gulls attack, the nation's leading offense was hot from the field again putting 10 of 28 total shots on-goal. Three would find the back of the net, including scores from Pillow and leading scorer Jimmy Grace. 

The gamewinner would come in the 14th minute on a mis-play by the Salisbury defense. An entry pass from the Captains ricocheted off the head of a Sea Gulls defender and caught the Salisbury goalkeeper off guard as the lofted header trickled into the left side of the goal. It was the lone tally of the first half as two of the league's top defenses were locked in a tight battle with only four total shots on-goal allowed. 

In the second half, CNU would hold Salisbury without a shot on-frame while the offense tacked on a pair of insurance goals. In the 65th minute, Pillow made a brilliant play on a gorgeous service from junior midfielder Daniel Zeitoun. After a corner kick was cleared away, the Captains midfielder collected the ball on the right side of the field and delivered a picture-perfect pass toward the middle of the box. With Salisbury's goalkeeper charging, Pillow took a perfect line on the ball, sprinted forward and cut off the netminder with a header to the right of the goal for his fourth tally of the season. Zeitoun's helper was his team-leading sixth of the season as he continues to add to a career-best season from the outside. 

With a 2-0 lead and all the momentum moving on the CNU side of the ball, the Captains would get several more near misses in the second half before Grace connected on the third and final score of the match. As time was winding down, the senior scoring leader would pick up his 14th goal of the year when classmate Andrew Gogolin connected with him for a touch goal into the right pocket. Gogolin worked by his defenders in the right side of the goal and Grace got free in the middle. A low pass slipped to Grace was enough for him to put a soft touch on it by the goalkeeper in the 88th minute of play. 

Christopher Newport will look to defend the CAC Championship on Saturday, November 4 against #3 Mary Washington, who advanced into the title game with a win over second-seeded St. Mary's (Md.). Kickoff at Captains Field is scheduled for 5:00 pm as part of a championship doubleheader with the women's team, who will also play for a title at 8:00 pm.