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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- In the opening game of the 2019 season in the first annual Steve Shaw Soccer Classic, named for his longtime mentor, Christopher Newport men's soccer head coach Justin Chezem earned the first win of his career in his first game at the helm in decisive fashion. The Captains scored three first-half goals and added one in the second for a 4-0 shutout victory over Greensboro College, earning Chezem a perfect 1-0-0 start as head coach. 

Playing in the second game of the classic format, the Captains outshot Greensboro, 17-5, while playing in front of a terrific crowd of nearly 900 fans for the season opener. Whitman College suffered a 1-0 setback to Kean University in game one of the tournament and the four teams will return to Captains Field for two more on Saturday. 

The offensive outburst started early as Joshua Niblo buried a long shot from the left side of the field just 5:47 into the match. Junior forward Justin Wilson played through the defense before finding Niblo with a backwards pass toward the top of the box where he blistered a hard shot off the right post and in for the eventual game-winning goal. It was the first winning tally of Niblo's tenure and just his second career score. 

Christopher Newport would then score back-to-back goals in the span of less than three minutes in the middle portion of the first half to turn the match into a runaway. Senior defender Derek Cook had a hand in both scores with a pair of assists on goals by Ethan Larson and Lincoln Kickbush. The first of the two tallies came off a long throw from the right sideline from Cook. After a run up to the line, Cook hurled a towering pass into the scoring area where Larson elevated and got his head on the ball first, directing his first shot of the season into the back of the net for the goal. 

Then, just over two minutes later, Cook took off through the middle of the Greensboro defense and beat a pair of defenders before sliding a perfect pass to his right for Kickbush. The sophomore paid off the terrific run by Cook with a hard shot under the diving goalkeeper for the score. 

After carrying a 3-0 lead into the halftime break, the offense was unrelenting and tacked on a fourth score less than two minutes into the second stanza. Sophomores Cory Hogge and Will Collins hooked up for the final tally as Hogge unleashed a laser of a pass toward the box where Collins was able to leap and just redirect the line drive toward the right side of the goal. The goal came in the 47th minute and extended Christopher Newport's lead to 4-0. 

In the first game of the season, Chezem was afforded the opportunity to play 31 different Captains in the contest. The defense, led by starters Khari Jones, Daniel Hulett, Davis Pillow, and Cook, was able to secure the team's first shutout of the year and allowed just five total shots. Greensboro was able to put only a pair of shots on frame and starting goalkeeper Justin Piercy turned away both for his first career win and clean sheet. 

The Captains will return to action on Saturday, August 31 to take on Whitman College in game two of the season. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm following the bout between Greensboro and Kean at 5:00 pm. Live stats and a live video webcast will be available of all the action at CNUsports.com.