LYNCHBURG, Va. -- A pair of penalty kicks called for either team later in the game decided a match between Christopher Newport men's soccer and Roanoke College in the 2018 Shellenberger Classic hosted by the University of Lynchburg. The Captains fell, 2-1, after the Maroons' penalty kick in the 75th minute held up as the gamewinner.
Roanoke took a 2-0 lead with the free attempt from the penalty spot with just over 15 minutes remaining in regulation. Just three minutes later, CNU managed to earn a PK of their own and cut the lead in half when senior
Andrew Maeso converted on the attempt, but the Captains' offense could not manage an equalizer in the final stages.
The teams were scoreless through the first half of action, with CNU holding a 7-4 advantage in shots in the opening stanza.
Daniel Zeitoun,
Stephen Durbin, and
Will Collins all managed shots on target for the Captains, but Roanoke keeper Alex Sullivan stopped each attempt. CNU's senior goalkeeper,
Zach Pedini, made stops on the two attempts he faced in the first half.
Early in the second stanza, the Maroons struck first with a goal in the 49th minute. Anthony Zarlenga set up Liam Camilleri for the first goal of the match while playing in the neutral site contest. A foul from behind in the box would set up the penalty kick goal for Roanoke, as Jon-Cody Mactutus stepped in for the score.
With short time, CNU earned their lone tally after a fracas in the box after the goalkeeper controlled the ball, leading to Maeso's penalty kick attempt. His first career attempt from the stop found the back of the net and got CNU back in the match. In the final ten minutes, CNU pressured the Roanoke keeper again and again, including on a corner kick in the 88th minute, when
Derek Cook's header sailed just over the crossbar.
For the game, the potent Captains' offense took 14 shots, including six on-goal, while the defense held the opponent to just eight total shots with 5 on-frame.
CNU returns to the pitch on Saturday, taking on the host and nationally-ranked University of Lynchburg Hornets. The 21st-ranked Hornets were 2-0-0 heading into the weekend and faced Dickinson in the other game of the tournament Friday night. Kickoff against the Captains is slated for 7:30 pm.
