ABILENE, Texas -- With a 2-0 win on the road at Hardin-Simmons University (3-5-0), the Christopher Newport men's soccer team extended it's season-opening unbeaten streak to eight games on Saturday night as the 20th-ranked Captains improved to 6-0-2. Juniors Joe Summerfield and Colin Skwirut connected on goals for Christopher Newport while the defense secured its third shutout of the year. 

The game featured 41 total shots in the game with a season-high 22 coming from the CNU attack. With the onslaught, Christopher Newport was able to secure its sixth-straight win for the longest winning streak since a ten-game roll in 2017; it matches the longest streak under head coach Justin Chezem after the Captains also won six in a row in 2019. 

CNU got on the board first with an incredible strike from Joe Summerfield in the 37th minute. Rookie Ethan Arnolds kept the play alive on the sideline before passing back to Asher Kuzemka in the middle of the field. The All-Region defender lobbed a pass up to Summerfield just outside the box and once the veteran forward turned, he had room to fire. His right-footed shot was placed perfectly, connecting with the left post and back into the goal for the score.

Summerfield secured his first career goal with the blast and it would hold up as his first career game-winning finish.
 
The second goal would come just over ten minutes into the second half after Carson Friedlein found Josh Monzon streaking down the sideline with a long pass to switch the field. Monzon made a terrific first touch before driving the ball central – as a defender tracked back, they made contact and the sophomore defender hit the turf, queuing the whistle.
 
On the ensuing free kick about a yard outside the 18 on the right side, Monzon and Colin Skwirut hovered over the ball before the restart, facing a three man wall. Monzon peeled off as a decoy and Skwirut addressed the ball with a powerful left-footed bender that skipped under the diving goalkeeper.
 
The junior midfielder notched his second career goal with the well-placed shot, giving the Captains a 2-0 lead on the road.  
 
Monzon nearly drove in the final nail with seven minutes remaining after a beautiful feed from the right by Luke Peri skipped through a last-ditch effort by a defender and found the sophomore alone in the box. Monzon eyed the right post and tried to slip in a low shot, but the attempt whistled inches wide.
 
Five minutes later, it was Bilal Hawa who sailed one just wide left after another open look was surrendered by the Cowboys defense. After Hardin-Simmons had a shot deflected in the box, the Captains were on the run and Summerfield was in the box ahead of everyone. He spun back to find Hawa at the top of the 18 and the rookie blistered a shot just off target.
 
For just the second time in program history, the Captains have started back-to-back seasons with an eight-game unbeaten streak. Last year, Christopher Newport was 5-0-3 after the first eight games and with Saturday's result, the Captains have improved that mark with a 6-0-2 start to 2025. The only other time CNU has opened in back-to-back seasons with an unbeaten eight-game start was 2010 and 2011 when the Captains were 8-0-0 in both years.
 
CNU will look to make it nine straight without a loss on Saturday, September 27 when they travel to Marymount University for their next game. The Captains will kickoff against the Saints at 5:00 p.m. in Arlington, Va.