ABILENE, Texas – In a mid-season matchup between two of the top Division III men's soccer programs, fans were treated to an epic battle between the 20^th-ranked Christopher Newport Captains and the 4^th-ranked Trinity University (Texas) Tigers. Playing on a neutral field at Hardin-Simmons University, it was the Captains who paid off the long trek from Virginia with a huge nationally-ranked win, 3-2, to hand the Tigers their first loss of the season.
 
Drew McWhinney had a first-half brace and a second-half insurance goal from Carson Friedlein proved imperative as the Captains fought tooth and nail to hold off the Tigers (6-1-0). Trinity trailed by two goals for the majority of the second half, and played down a man for over 20 minutes after a red card was issued, but the heavyweight bout included a dramatic finish as Trinity snuck in a late goal and pressured the CNU defense with a flourish in the final minutes.
 
In the end, it was CNU that was left standing with an unbeaten record, improving to 5-0-2 on the season with the marquee win. It was the second top-ten opponent Christopher Newport has faced this year after a draw against then-No. 8 Dickinson in the opening weekend.
 
Treating fans to a thrilling Division III contest on a warm night at HSU Soccer Stadium, both teams managed six shots on goal. Before the spectators could even settle into their seats, though, the Captains had already scored on their nationally-ranked opponent.
 
Within the first minute, McWhinney staked the 20^th-ranked Christopher Newport men's soccer team to a 1-0 lead. After the Captains defense reversed field to Yazan Yaghmmour, he played a pass up to Caleb Jones on the left side. After working inside on two touches, his pass to Manzi Siibo gave the junior time to survey and he saw McWhinney streaking through the last two defenders down the middle of the field. Siibo played it perfectly and the Captains' starting forward chipped the keeper with a nice left-footed flick into the middle of the goal.
 
The Tigers responded just seven minutes later to even the score, 1-1, on a corner kick goal to spark what would be a dynamite top-20 battle between the two teams. The Tigers played it in from the corner and a touch pass from the top of the box trickled into the middle of the dangerous area. Sweeping through with a right foot, Luke Chandler wrapped in a shot into the right side.
 
Scooting back ahead by one goal in the 15^th minute of action, it was Siibo and McWhinney again for the Captains to take a 2-1 lead. Siibo aggressively challenged a pair of Tigers defenders near the sideline and forced a rushed reset, but as the defender pressed higher, Siibo was able to wrestle the ball away. A fortuitous bounce found McWhinney again loose of any defenders. As he reached the top of the box, two Tigers tracked back to face him, but the junior scorer split the pair and tiptoed through the 18 to give himself just enough time and space to blast another shot by the keeper.
 
It marked the first time since October 11 of last season that the Tigers had surrendered two goals in a regular season matchup and just the second time in the last 25 regular season games for Trinity. It marked the second career brace for McWhinney with both coming against teams ranked in the top five of the United Soccer Coaches Division III poll – the last was in the C2C Championship against No. 1 Mary Washington last year.
 
Jumping on Trinity again early in the second half, Luke Peri nearly made it 3-1 with a breakaway less than two minutes after the whistle. He got free of the back line and McWhinney hit him in stride with just the man in goal to beat. Peri tried a surgical strike low and to the right, but this time the Trinity goalkeeper was able to make a sensational sliding stop.
 
Speaking of surgical, the third goal would actually come in the 53^rd minute when Josh Monzon took advantage off a set piece. Colin Skwirut earned the free kick on a hard foul just inside 40 yards away from the goal in the center of the field. On the restart, Monzon lofted a perfectly-placed pass to the penalty spot, leaving the goalkeeper in no-man's land when Friedlein boxed out his defender with his back to the goal and chipped a one-timer into the right side for the score.
 
Keeping up the pressure, Caleb Jones nearly came through with a goal in the 60^th minute. McWhinney got a pass through two defenders for Jones and his touch made it by the keeper but it trickled just wide right of the goal. Barry Jones also had a one-on-one attempt after a long pass over the defense by Ben Sullivan; his blast ricocheted off the goalkeeper and stayed out of the net. 
 
Despite playing down a man for the final 23 minutes, Trinity showcased why they are one of the top teams in Division III. Facing the Captains at full strength, the Tigers pulled back within a goal with a header off a corner kick with 6:22 remaining. Aiden Perales finished on the feed from Adam Knutson. Both Trinity goals came off corner kicks as the Tigers worked for 10 free kicks from the corner spot in the game.
 
The score made Friedlein's insurance goal ever important as the sophomore defender secured the first game-winning goal of his career. The defense held on in the waning minutes when the Tigers scrambled to send everything forward. Friedlein, Monzon, and Declan Karney played the full 90 minutes on the back line while sophomore Ben Sullivan stepped up for a career-high 77 minutes after coming on to relieve Yaghmmour early in the first half.
 
Christopher Newport will not have long to celebrate the big win as they will turn around and face the host Cowboys on Saturday night in their second game of the weekend in Texas. CNU will face Hardin-Simmons at 7:30 (EDT) / 8:30 (CDT) locally with live stats and a live video webcast available online.