EWING, N.J. – Christopher Newport scored 14 first quarter points against TCNJ on Saturday afternoon, but the Lions fought back on the strength of a pair of Trevor Bopp touchdown runs to tie the score. The second of those touchdowns came in the first minute of the fourth quarter, setting up an exciting finish. Unfortunately for the Lions, Christopher Newport came out of Lions Stadium with a 21-14 victory.
 
Following the second Bopp score that tied the game at 14-14, the Lions' defense forced a CNU punt, and the Lions took over at their own 19. The Lions picked up first downs on three of the first four plays of the drive that included a 13-yard run by Nicholas Chambers and a 12-yard completion from Bopp to Lucas Spitzer. Bopp followed that play with a 10-yard scramble to the CNU 43.
 
On the next play, though, CNU forced a fumble that it recovered at its own 39. The Captains drove into the Lions' red zone where it had a third-and-3 from the TCNJ 17. Matt Dzierski found Adam Luncher for 12 yards to the TCNJ 5. On the next play, Dzierski did it himself, scrambling in from five yards out to put CNU ahead, 21-14, after the PAT with 4:31 to play.
 
The Lions started the next drive from their own 2 after a well-placed kickoff, but it didn't take long for TCNJ to threaten to tie the score. After Chambers went for 11 yards to give the Lions some breathing room, Bopp found Max Hayford for 55 yards to the CNU 32.
 
The Lions went to fourth down from that spot, and took a timeout with 1:54 left. Bopp's pass on fourth down intended for Jake McKown fell incomplete, turning the ball over on downs.
 
CNU managed to run the clock down to six seconds when it faced fourth down. The Captains elected to punt, and the quick kick with all 11 Lions rushing found its way out of bounds as time expired.
 
Bopp threw for 186 yards and rushed for 36 more with two touchdowns. Lucas Spitzer made four catches for 70 yards, with a long of 34 yards.
 
Ryan McGuire led the defense with nine tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a half of a sack. Chris McCormack had six tackles and 1.5 sacks. Jared Lyles had a sack and a fumble recovery.
 
Jacob Maurice had a big interception, picking off Dzierski in the TCNJ end zone as CNU looked to expand its 14-7 lead in the third quarter.
 
The Lions head into a bye week before returning to action at Salisbury on Nov. 6.