NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- After the Captains held a 1-0 advantage for much of the match, a St. Mary's goal scored in the 89th minute looked to be enough to earn a draw against the CNU men's soccer team on Wednesday night, but a thrilling response just 18 seconds later put the Captains ahead for good in a 2-1 win. Freshman Drew McWhinney buried the gamewinner off a beautiful combination from Trevor Smith and Carson Grove to rebound from the late equalizer. 

With the dramatic finish, the Captains improve to 9-1-1 on the season marking the best record through 11 games since the 2011 team opened the year with a 10-0-1 mark. The Seahawks fell to 5-4-3 after Christopher Newport notched their ninth multi-goal performance in 11 games this season. CNU added to a 17-game unbeaten streak against the Seahawks dating back to the 2006 season. 

Christopher Newport carried a 1-0 lead for nearly 66 minutes of action after scoring the first goal in the 23rd minute, but despite the low score, the back-and-forth battle was filled with offensive rushes on both sides. St. Mary's outshot the Captains in the second half, including the game-tying goal with just 1:34 left in the game. Zack Glime scored on a long pass ahead from Braden Kindred. The goal ignited the Seahawks bench, but the Captains would not be denied. 

On the ensuing kickoff, the Captains put eight players on the midfield line, looking to throw everything forward to try and net the gamewinner. Off the whistle, Mason Field played the ball out to Jonah Fitz on the right side. Fitz, who had left the game with an injury and missed the bulk of the second half before returning just two minutes earlier, made a tremendous run up the right side to drive the length of half field all the way to the top of the box where he played a short pass back to Trevor Smith. 

Smith took his first touch toward the goal, drawing a defender, and a second was poked to the left for Carson Grove; Grove made a one-touch pass through a crowded box to find McWhinney at the edge of the six-yard box and the rookie buried a shot top shelf for the score. The quick passes by the veterans set up the freshman for an open look from close range and McWhinney made sure it would ring true with a blast into the netting for his sixth goal of the season. All in all, the response after the Seahawks goal took just 18 seconds as Christopher Newport rallied for the winning score.

The sixth tally of the year is the most by a freshman for Christopher Newport since 2008 when Winston Mattheisen finished his first year with 16 goals. 

St. Mary's attempted to repeat the same feat with a late run in the final minute, but the Captains' defense, bolstered by Chris Garbarini checking in after the goal, would not surrender another shot on goal. 

The late game theatrics were set up by the Captains taking a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute when leading scorer Mason Field converted for his eighth goal of the season. Manzi Siibo challenged the Seahawks goalkeeper with a shot on-goal that was saved, but Field was there for the follow to put away the go-ahead score in the first half. 

After a slow start to the second half, head coach Justin Chezem made a tactical change to insert Carson Grove following an early rush by the Seahawks. St. Mary's took five shots, including two on-frame, in the first 10 minutes of the second half, prompting the personnel change from Chezem. The substitution paid off as the Captains took control of the possession game in the midfield and silenced the Seahawks attack to the tune of just one shot high of the goal over the next 18 minutes of action. 

The Captains took 19 shots in the game, putting eight on target. Field had a team-high three shots on goal while Jonathon Leiding added a pair. Leiding also played the full 90 minutes on the back line with Jacob Dudley to help hold down the upset-minded Seahawks. Yazan Yaghmmour also played key minutes on defense for Christopher Newport playing in front of Hayden Dewey. The sophomore goalkeeper made four saves in goal for the Captains to earn his ninth win of the season. 

Christopher Newport will next face No. 2 Mary Washington on Saturday, October 14 at 7:00 p.m. on Captains Field.