Box Score in HTML Format
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- In the concluding match of the 2017 Joe Pombriant/CNU Soccer Classic, a nationally-ranked showdown between 24th-ranked Washington & Lee University (2-0-0) and 21st-ranked Christopher Newport (1-1-0) would fall on the side of the visitors, 2-1. Playing on a rain-soaked Captains Field about a half hour later than scheduled due to a lightning delay, CNU outshot the Generals, 13-7, but could not come away with a game-tying goal late in the second half.
Washington & Lee struck first just 7:23 into the match with a goal from Harry Pinkerton off an assist by Jack Miller, in what would prove to be the first of four straight shots on-goal by the Generals. After the last was turned away by CNU junior goalkeeper
Zach Pedini for his third straight save, the home team took control of the action for the majority of the first half.
Several near misses for the Captains haunted the home team in the opening 45 minutes, as
Jordan Boone glanced one off the left post that looked destined for the low corner, and
Andrew Gogolin missed a pair of attempts just wide while looking for the back of the net.
Rookie
Davis Pillow capped an impressive opening weekend with an equalizing goal in the 32nd minute, tying the match 1-1 on a header into the ground on the back post. After a corner kick was broken up, junior midfielder
Daniel Zeitoun reached the loose ball first and sent another cross into the box where Pillow elevated and hammered home the game-tying goal.
Early in the second half, though, the visitors would retake a one-goal lead when Viktor Dolberg connected on what would hold up as the eventual game-winning strike. The Captains kept ratcheting up the offensive pressure but W&L goalkeeper, Gillen Beck, remained relatively unchallenged as the Generals defense held CNU to just two shots on-goal in the second half.
The Captains will head out on the road for a four-game road swing starting on Wednesday, September 6 as CNU travels to North Carolina Wesleyan College for a 4:30 pm match. Following the trip to NC, the Captains will then head north to New Jersey to face Rowan and Rutgers-Camden on September 9-10, respectively.
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