SALISBURY, Md. – The Salisbury University men's soccer team hosted No. 22 nationally ranked Christopher Newport University in Capital Athletic Conference play on Wednesday afternoon. The Sea Gulls fell, 2-1, for the first time at the SU Soccer Complex this season.

The Captains got on the board first with a 17th minute tally. Jimmy Grace had possession just outside the Salisbury 18 and chipped a ball into the box that Stephen Durbin ran under and lofted over a charging Robert Fiackos.

In the 29th minute the Captains chances continued as a misplayed ball amongst the back line led to Grace being alone with the ball inside the 18. Fiackos made a fantastic save to keep the visitors off the board.

However, less than 30 seconds later, Grace would once again find an opening inside the 18. This time he buried it into the low left side of the net to put CNU up, 2-0.

At the half, the Captains held the edge in most statistical categories, including shots (9-2), shots on goal (6-1), and corner kicks (4-1).

Salisbury kicked up its offense in the second half in need of two tallies.

The first good chance for the Gulls to chip away at the Captains' lead came in the 60th minute. Nicholas Carrington headed a ball that was aimed to the back post but keeper Zach Pedini was able to punch it away.

Salisbury finally cracked the scoring column in the 77th minute as Brooks Zentgraf was the recipient of a beautiful pass.

Nathaniel Hand had the ball near the top of the 18 and slotted a pass downhill to a cutting Zentgraf. Zentgraf did the rest and put it home to cut the Captains lead in half.

With the clock winding down, Salisbury had two promising chances.

Both chances came off the head of Nathaniel Eiben as Salisbury needed the late tally. Eiben's last attempt went just high with 13 seconds left in the contest and the Sea Gulls ultimately fell, 2-1.

Fiackos ended the day with six saves, while Pedini had five stops of his own.

Salisbury ended the contest with 11 shots, placing six on target. While Christopher Newport ended the match with 15 shots, including eight on net.

Salisbury rounds out its regular season slate on the road with a pair of crucial CAC contests against York College of Pennsylvania on October 22 and Wesley College on the 28th.