NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Playing in front of one of the largest crowds in Captains Field history, the Christopher Newport men's soccer team made sure the CNU fans went home happy with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Batten University (1-3-5) on Wednesday night. Seniors
Michael Hackworth and
Yazan Yaghmmour found the back of the net in the second half to lift CNU to the win as the Captains improved to 5-1-1 overall this season.
The Captains offense has now scored multiple goals in all five of their wins this season. One of the top rated scoring offenses in the nation is averaging 2.62 goals scored per game and have been led in part by both Hackworth and Yaghmmour with three goals apiece.
Playing in front of 1,342 fans on Newport News Parks and Rec Night at Captains Field, the Captains and Marlins were locked in a tightly-contested matchup for 90 minutes. CNU held the advantage in total shots by just one attempt, 10-9, while CNU held a 4-2 edge in shots on-goal. Both teams were held to just one corner kick apiece as the game was played in bouts of possession on both sides.
In the first half, the teams were limited to just five total shots as the defenses reigned. In the second half, things opened up with 14 total attempts between the two teams.
In the 58th minute, the first score came off the foot of the senior midfielder,
Michael Hackworth. Yaghmmour started the play by finding
Tim McGuire in the left corner in front of the CNU bend. McGuire had enough room to loft a pass into the box where
Riley Usher managed a header flick behind him for the wide-open Hackworth. The senior settled the pass and slammed a shot into the back of the net to take a 1-0 lead.
The lead would double in the 82nd minute when Hackworth received a pass from
Jackson Carlyon and worked his way toward the goal line. After sliding the ball back to the top of the box and scrambling around a pair of defenders, Hackworth saw Yaghmmour streaking down the field open on the left side. The pass met the defender in stride and Yaghmmour unleashed a scorching line drive knuckler that dove under the goalkeepers hands at the last moment for a highlight-reel score.
Scoring the second goal proved pivotal insurance as Batten answered just three minutes later to trim the lead back to one, 2-1. Damen Metry drove a fast-paced pass through traffic and JaMarhe Wills finished on the near post to score for the visitors.
It would prove to be the last real chance for either team as the final five minutes ticked away uneventfully. The Captains closed out the team's fifth win of the season with a 2-1 final.
For Hackworth, the three-point performance moved him into double digits for the year with 10 points on three goals and four assists. Yaghmmour's third goal of the season was his first gamewinner and moved him up to third in the scoring column with eight points on three goals and two assists.
CNU will return to action this Saturday of Homecoming Weekend with Marymount University headed to Captains Field at 6:00 p.m.
