National Semifinal Photo Gallery

HOLLAND, Mich. -- Despite a valiant effort in the national semifinals, the fifth-ranked Christopher Newport volleyball team saw its record-breaking run come to an end as the Captains succumbed to No. 1 Calvin, 3-1 (25-19, 25-21, 23-25, 25-16) in a tremendously hard-fought battle during the NCAA Championships at the DeVos Fieldhouse on Friday evening.

Proving why she is a four-time All-American, Abby Hogge pieced together a performance for the ages during the Final Four bout, thwarting blast-after-blast while diving all over the court on the way to a match-high 28 digs. Lending a hand on the defensive side, Cory Harris also collected 18 digs and seven kills, while Kara Elder was strong on serve-receive, converting all 19 of her attempts.

On the offensive end, Alyssa Kidd posted 40 assists, which bumped her total this year to 1389, setting a new single-season program record. Christie Fellows helped out as well, unloading a team-high 12 kills, while Bailey Jensen chipped in with nine to go along with a .350 hitting percentage.

Although the end of the 2012 campaign did not go as scripted, the Captains still have a host of things to be proud of, setting program-records with 40 wins and a 32-match winning streak. CNU was also the only team in the nation to compete in the Final Four during each of the past two campaigns, capping off a remarkable run by the squad's sensational senior class. Overall, Christopher Newport wraps up the 2012 season with a spectacular 40-3 mark, and the fourth-year standouts cap off their careers with an astronomical 152-18 record and four appearances in the NCAA Elite Eight.

At the beginning of the match, the two squads traded blows as Jessie Kolden unloaded a pair of kills, while Fellows had a block and blast on the way to a modest one-point deficit at 8-7. Unfortunately, Calvin built up a little breathing room, snatching the next four rallies to grab a 12-7 lead. Although Fellows and Chastity Lacy each ripped a bullet after a CNU timeout, the squad still found itself trailing, 15-9, heading into the media break.

Refusing to back down, the Captains continued to fight. Jensen notched a pair of quick hitters into the heart of the Knight defense before Lacy collected a vicious block and another rocket on back-to-back rallies to whittle the team's deficit down to 19-15 heading into a Calvin timeout. Sadly, the break paid dividends for the Knights as the squad regrouped and collected six of the final 10 points to pull out the 25-19 victory.

Although the squad showed resolve and overcame first-set deficits in each of its previous three matches, CNU could not piece together a repeat performance on Friday evening. Similar to the first set, the two teams looked evenly matched in the beginning of the second. Although the Knights swept the first four rallies, Jensen and Kolden combined for four kills and a pair of aces to give Christopher Newport an 11-10 lead. Despite the modest advantage, the Captains could not keep Calvin at bay.

Orchestrating a seven-point run, the Knights grabbed an imposing 17-11 edge. Following CNU's second timeout of the set, the Captains caught fire. Lacy and Fellows got things going with a combo block before Harris fired two darts and teamed with Jensen on another stop to chop the deficit down to two at 17-15. Later, a kill by Jensen pulled the squad within one at 19-18, but Christopher Newport could never quite climb out of its hole.

Eventually, AVCA National Player of the Year Lizzie Kamp closed out the set with two kills before adding the clinching block to cap off a 25-21 victory.

Staring at a two-set deficit, CNU showed heart in the third, running out to a 6-3 lead behind a kill and two assists by Kidd. Although Calvin was able to recapture the lead at 7-6, the Captains shot back. With the teams trading surges, Kolden ripped a kill, Lacy and Kidd joined forces on a block, and Jensen uncorked an ace to secure a 10-7 lead for CNU. Continuing the nerve-wracking seesaw affair, Calvin quickly knotted the set up again at 10 and kept it deadlocked until separating a bit following the media timeout. Kamp bookended the break with a pair of kills before a Captain miscue gave the Knights a 17-14 advantage heading into Christopher Newport's final timeout of the set.

Refusing to go down in straight sets, CNU responded with a vengeance. The break was just what the team needed as Kolden obliterated three late kills, while Lacy added a block and blast to even the set at 22. Although a Calvin kill broke the streak, Fellows unloaded two rockets, including the clincher, to cap off a thrilling 25-23 victory in the third.

Unfortunately, Christopher Newport's momentum would not carry over to the fourth. Although Harris, Fellows, and Lacy all posted a pair of kills during the early part of the final frame, CNU still faced a 13-9 deficit following the team's final timeout of the set. From there, the Knights eased into the victory. Although Kolden capped off her night with two more blasts at the tail end of the frame, a pair of Calvin blocks helped stymie any comeback attempt and sealed a 25-16 victory in the fourth.

Kolden finished the contest with 11 kills, while Lacy chipped in with eight to go along with seven blocks.

---CNU---