ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. -- Guided by another sensational offensive effort, the fourth-ranked Christopher Newport volleyball team clinched the regular season USA South championship and extended its winning streak to 21 matches as CNU stormed past N.C. Wesleyan, 3-0 (25-5, 25-11, 25-14) on Wednesday evening at the Everett Gymnasium.

With the victory, the Captains bumped their record to 29-2, including a perfect 11-0 mark in conference action. The win also capped off the team's 109-match winning streak in regular season USA South bouts dating back to the 2006 campaign. Overall, CNU has now won six consecutive outright regular season conference championships and at least a share of nine straight league titles.

The setback dropped N.C. Wesleyan to 18-9 on the season, including 7-2 in league play. The team now sits in sole possession of third-place in the league standings.

During the match, the Captain attack was as potent as ever, posting a season-best .522 hitting percentage. Jessie Kolden led the way with a match-high 13 kills while swinging at a .579 clip. Cory Harris also chipped in with eight kills, while Chastity Lacy and Bailey Jensen had six apiece. Alyssa Kidd helped balance out the attack, collecting 30 assists to go along with nine digs and three blocks. Not to be overlooked, Brooke Moore was exceptional as well, blistering four aces while adding a team-high 12 digs.

In the first frame, Moore set the tone early for the Captains. During an 11-point run, which gave CNU a quick 11-1 lead, the sophomore blasted three aces, including back-to-back winners early in the set. Later, after N.C. Wesleyan broke the streak with two straight points, Christopher Newport simply went on another roll. This time, Kolden led the way with three kills and a block, while Jensen and Kidd teamed up on back-to-back stops during a nine-point roll that gave the visitors a commanding 20-3 lead.

With more than enough breathing room, the Captains eased into the victory. Jensen, Kolden, and Lacy drilled three straight kills before a Battling Bishop error gave CNU set-point. One rally later, Lacy put an end to the set after rejecting a N.C. Wesleyan attack attempt to seal the 25-5 win.

Riding a wave of momentum, Christopher Newport came sprinting out again in the second set. Behind two kills from Harris and single shots by Kolden and Lacy, the squad grabbed a modest 8-5 lead. From there, the Captains kicked it into high gear. Harris unloaded two more kills and teamed with Lacy on a block during a five-point run that gave the team a comfy 13-5 advantage.

Up by eight, CNU continued to press N.C. Wesleyan. Eventually, blasts by Fellows and Jensen and another ace from Moore pushed the lead to double-digits at 17-7. With the end of the frame in sight, Kolden launched three more rockets to earn set-point at 24-10. Although the Battling Bishops staved off the inevitable for one rally, an error by the hosts eventually iced a 25-11 win for the Captains.

After suffering a pair of tough setbacks in the first two frames, N.C. Wesleyan kept it close in the beginning of the third, battling to a 5-5 draw. Later, Christie Fellows notched a block and kill on back-to-back rallies before Jensen and Harris added lasers to help give CNU a small two-point edge at 11-9. Refusing to let the hosts hang around any longer, the Captains ran away with the set after that.

Orchestrating an eight-point run, highlighted by three kills from Kolden and a block and blast by Lacy, Christopher Newport rolled out to a double-digit lead at 19-9. Although N.C. Wesleyan pieced together a late surge that pulled the squad back within seven at 21-14, the effort was simply not enough. Fellows fired a shot to end the Battling Bishops' roll before Jensen notched a solo block to give the team set-point at 24-14. Wasting little time, Harris immediately took a pass from Rachel Conway and uncorked a dart that capped off the 25-14 win and sealed the three-set sweep.

In addition to her six kills, Jensen finished the match with four blocks, while Lacy also sent back three attack attempts. Overall, CNU finished with nine total blocks and held N.C. Wesleyan to a -.033 hitting percentage.

After spending the last week on the road, Christopher Newport will wrap up the regular season at home when the squad hosts the two-day CNU Invitational beginning on Friday. The Captains will open up action against Moravian at 3 p.m. before battling No. 17 Salisbury at 7:30 p.m. on Senior Night.

--CNU--