NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Both teams limited chances and the bulk of the game was played in the middle third of the pitch as a pair of talented teams faced off in an evenly-matched battle at Captains Field on Saturday evening. The host Captains held eighth-ranked Dickinson College (0-0-2) scoreless for just the second time in their last 18 games dating back to last season as Christopher Newport finished out its second draw of the weekend in a 0-0 final. 

The Captains nearly jumped out to an early lead with one of the best shots of the game coming just two minutes into the contest. After a spectacular combination, Drew McWhinney was loose in the box and unleashed a ferocious shot that hammered off the crossbar and away. Though neither team could know at that stage, it was one of very few shots that the talented defenses would allow.

After Colin Skwirut and Manzi Siibo connected to reset the play through the midfield, defender Josh Monzon started the play forward by driving through the center and adding a crisp pass  to the left side for McWhinney. On the run, he initiated a quick give-and-go with Caleb Jones and a sensational touch pass by the veteran midfielder set up McWhinney for his left-footed missile. 

The Captains defense weathered an offensive surge by the visitors, but shots were limited despite seven first-half corner kicks. On one run up the left side, the Red Devils had an opportunity to cross into the box, but Siibo disrupted the play with a sliding deflection. Defensively, the Captains stood tall against the corner attempts and did not allow a shot off of any of the restarts. 

On the other end, the lone shot on goal in the game for the Captains came in the 17th minute when Yazan Yaghmmour won a 50-50 ball with a nifty move on the ball to set up Ryan Buckon in the middle of the field for a look from 25 yards out. His right-footed shot was on target but snared by the Dickinson keeper. 

Rookie Ethan Arnolds added a laser of his own in the 70th minute but the shot sailed just high of the post. The Dickinson offense challenged CNU senior goalkeeper Hayden Dewey twice in the second half but the veteran secured his first shutout of the season by making both stops. 

The Captains' back line of Carson Friedlein, Declan Karney, Yaghmmour and Monzon started the game and got relief efforts from Ben Sullivan and Miles Maggioncalda to earn the clean sheet. Karney and Yaghmmour played full time in front of Dewey, helping keep the talented Red Devils attack at bay.

Christopher Newport will return to action next weekend when they host William Paterson University on Saturday, September 6 at 5:00 p.m. before welcoming the University of Redlands on Sunday, September 7 at 2:00 p.m.