ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. -- The nationally-ranked Christopher Newport men's soccer team kept up it's winning ways with a convincing 4-1 victory on the road Wednesday night, downing St. Mary's (Md.) in Capital Athletic Conference action. Derek Cook scored twice from the penalty spot and the Captains scored three times in the first half to build a comfortable lead on a chilly, wet night in Maryland. 

The Captains improved to 9-1-3 overall and 6-0-0 in conference play with a six-game winning streak and eight-game unbeaten roll. It's the longest win streak for the Captains since a 10-game run through the 2017 season. St. Mary's falls to 9-4-1 overall, 3-3-0 in CAC play. 

Christopher Newport got on the board in the 20th minute after a penalty in the box was called against the home team. Senior Michael Wilson was trying to work the ball back into play when a pair of Seahawks defenders collapsed on him and sent the Captains' midfielder sprawling to pick up the penalty-kick inducing foul. Cook, who has been reliable from the spot all season long, stepped in for the Captains and delivered the first goal of the game. 

Just over six minutes of game action later, the Captains would connect on the second goal of the game which would hold up as the gamewinner. Junior Joshua Niblo took a corner kick from the left side of the field and lined a sensational cross into the box on the near post. Racing in front of his defender, sophomore Will Collins leaped and placed a perfect header into the back of the net for the score. His fourth goal of the season proved to be the game-winning strike as the Seahawks would net one goal in the match later. 

Before then, another beautiful combination would lead to the third goal of the half for Christopher Newport in the 38th minute of play. Rookie Alex Risko slotted a through ball from midfield down the center of the pitch for the Captains' leading scorer, Lincoln Kickbush. The sophomore raced through a pair of defenders and blistered a hard left-footed shot off the goalkeepers gloves, the left post and into the back of the net. It was his seventh goal of the season and Risko's first collegiate point with the helper. 

With a 3-0 lead in hand at halftime, the Captains were outshooting the home team, 9-2. In the second half, league leading scorer Khalid Balogun netted his 14th goal of the season off an assist by Zack Yurich to cut the lead to 3-1, but the Captains responded with another penalty kick goal for the final differential. Cook again stepped in for the PK and converted for the score. 

Cook is now 6-for-6 in penalty kick attempts this season and has tied the single season program record for penalty shots made in a season. He ties John Fitzgerald's record set in 1987 while also moving into a tie for third all-time in career PK conversions. 

In total, the Captains outshot the Seahawks 12-7 with an 8-5 edge in shots on-goal. Justin Piercy earned the win in goal with one goal allowed and four saves. 

Christopher Newport will return to action this Saturday at Mary Washington to close out the three-game road trip. The Captains will kickoff against the Eagles at 2:30 pm in Fredericksburg, Va.