Christopher Newport University was defeated by Johns Hopkins 14-3 at TowneBank Stadium, dropping their record to 1-1 for the season.
The game took place during the university’s Family Weekend, where parents of both athletes and students packed the stands for the Captains home debut. With a capacity of 4,752, the defense kept the Captains in the game but could not lift them to victory as the offense only mustered one field goal.
The game opened with a series of punts from both teams. With four and a half minutes left in the first quarter, Johns Hopkins began a lengthy drive that saw a fourth down conversion occur right before the end of the quarter. Two plays later, Johns Hopkins took the lead on a 28-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Bay Harvey to senior wide receiver PJ Scales.
The Captains next offensive possession showed promise. A completion from fifth-year senior Matt Dzierski to junior running back Gunner White followed by an 11-yard scramble from Dzierski put the Captains in the red zone. Two plays later, Dzierski was sacked for a six-yard loss which led to the Captains kicking a field goal made by sophomore kicker Maxx Lawton that put the Captains on the board.
The offense struggled to gain momentum on any of the Captains subsequent possessions. In the second quarter, Dzierski left the game with an injury and was replaced by sophomore Connor Barry. Near the end of the quarter, Barry also suffered an injury which led to sophomore Tahir Johnson playing for most of the second half.
The second Johns Hopkins touchdown came after a costly Captains interception which put them at the Captains 29 yard line. Two plays later, Harvey found Scales once again for a 20-yard touchdown that gave Johns Hopkins a 14-3 lead.
Despite the loss, the Captains defense helped keep the game within reach. This was largely due to the pass rush as they accounted for six sacks, two of them by junior linebacker Masai Bruning who also led the team in tackles with 11. As a whole, the defense held Johns Hopkins to 180 total yards and an average of almost three yards per play.
Up next, the Captains (1-1) will face Gettysburg College (1-1) in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on September 21. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
