Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The fifth-ranked Christopher Newport volleyball team extended its winning streak to 12 matches after posting a pair of victories on Saturday as the Captains upended LaGrange, 3-0 (25-14, 25-11, 25-17) and Methodist, 3-0 (25-16, 25-16, 25-18) during a USA South Tri-Match at The Freeman Center.

Jessie Kolden posted a team-high 17 kills during the two contests, while Bailey Jensen added 13. Christie Fellows and Chastity Lacy also drove home 12 blasts to help pace the Captain attack.

With the victories, CNU improves to 20-2 on the season, including 6-0 in conference action. After splitting its doubleheader on Saturday, Methodist now sits at 12-7, while LaGrange is 4-14.

In the first match of the day, Christopher Newport imposed its will early and often. Brooke Moore lined an ace, Lacy chipped in with a block and blast, and Cory Harris unloaded a pair of rockets on back-to-back rallies to secure a 13-6 lead heading into a LaGrange timeout.

Although the stoppage momentarily broke the Captains' rhythm, Harris quickly found her footing again with three more kills on the way to a double-digit advantage at 20-10. Later, Kolden tacked on a pair of rockets before Terran Bargeron finished the first set with a laser of her own to cap a 25-14 victory.

In the second set, CNU jumped out early again. Kolden launched two kills, while Jensen and Abby McIntyre lined aces to give the team an 11-3 lead. Later, following a LaGrange timeout, Fellows uncorked three winners during the span of four rallies on the way to a huge 20-9 advantage for the hosts.

From there, Christopher Newport eased into the victory. Chance Rye collected back-to-back kills before Krista Hughes finished off the frame with a bolt into the heart of the LaGrange defense, which sealed a 25-11 victory for the Captains.

Leading by two sets, CNU had its hands full in the early part of the third frame. Rye added two early kills before Bargeron and Rachel Conway connected on aces, but the Captains led by only one at 12-11. With the Panthers showing some poise in the stanza, Christopher Newport worked hard to build another lead before finishing off the match.

Bargeron and Katie Jarrett chipped in with kills in the middle portion of the set before Conway blistered two more aces on the way to a 22-14 lead. Although LaGrange called for a timeout hoping to regain some momentum, McIntyre came out of the break with a kill before Hughes finished off the bout with a rocket that clinched the sweep with a 25-17 victory in the final frame.

Kolden ended the first match with a team-high seven kills on just 10 swings. Kidd also dished out 24 assists and added six digs, while Harris, Fellows, and Rye all had five kills apiece.

After a little breather, CNU returned to the court for the nightcap against Methodist. Although Fellows got off to a good start with three kills, the Captains and Monarchs found themselves deadlocked at 10. Still knotted at 15, Christopher Newport broke the tie after flashing a little defense as Lacy and Kolden teamed up on a pair of blocks to give the squad an 18-15 lead.

Stunned by the CNU surge, Methodist never could regain its swagger. The Captains eventually won the final six rallies of the set, highlighted by two kills from Lacy and Fellows, before Kidd capped off the frame with an ace to seal a 25-16 victory.

After withstanding an early run by the Monarchs in the first set, the Captains stormed out to a gigantic lead in the second. Jensen led the way as the senior standout fired three kills and added a pair of blocks on the way to an 11-3 lead. Although Methodist eventually whittled its deficit down to three at 13-10, Harris posted a pair of kills, while Abby Hogge smacked an ace, to help give the squad an 18-10 edge.

After dominating at the beginning of the set, Jensen fittingly capped it off with another sensational run. She fired a pair of kills to help the team earn set point at 24-16 before slamming the door shut with an ace that clinched the 25-16 win.

Having rolled to victories in their first five sets of the day, the Captains had little interest in stopping. In the final frame, Kolden collected a pair of blocks in the early going, while McIntyre posted another ace on the way to a 7-3 lead. Following a Methodist timeout, the visitors went on a bit of a run in the middle of the stanza to chop their deficit down to one at 13-12.

With a fight on their hands, the Captains responded. Lacy gave the team a little breathing room with two kills before Fellows and Kolden added back-to-back rockets, which gave CNU a 22-16 lead. Staring at another sweep, Lacy fired another kill before finding some open space in the Methodist defense for a well-placed rainbow that sealed the set, 25-18.

Against Methodist, Kolden led the way with 10 kills, while Jensen and Lacy chipped in with nine apiece. All three standouts also had four blocks during the match, while Fellows stuffed three attacks and added seven kills.

Christopher Newport will return to action on Tuesday when the Captains head to Raleigh, N.C. for a 6:30 p.m. showdown with Peace.

---CNU---