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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The fifth-ranked Christopher Newport volleyball team opened up conference action in impressive fashion, sweeping Ferrum, 3-0 (25-5, 25-13, 25-10) and Meredith, 3-0 (25-10, 25-9, 25-17) during a USA South tri-match at The Freeman Center on Saturday afternoon.

With the victories, the Captains move to 13-2 and bump their winning streak in regular season USA South matches to 100. With the setbacks, Ferrum stands at 1-6 on the season, while Meredith is 7-5.

Seeing extended action during the doubleheader, freshman Chance Rye led the squad with 13 kills while hitting at a .500 clip. Jessie Kolden and Cory Harris also had 10 kills apiece, while Chastity Lacy and Krista Hughes each had five blocks.

In the first set of Saturday's opener, CNU pulled out to an incredible lead on the way to an impressive victory. After securing a 5-3 advantage behind a block and kill by Bailey Jensen, the Captains orchestrated an unbelievable 15-point run. During that roll, Kolden had four kills, Jensen clocked a pair of aces, and Harris had two blasts on the way to a 20-3 lead.

With such an imposing advantage, the Captains wasted little time putting away the first frame. After two more kills by Kolden, Christie Fellows launched a winner before the squad capitalized on a Ferrum miscue to capture the set, 25-5.

In the second, CNU rolled out to another early advantage after Rachel Conway and Abby McIntyre connected on aces, while Hughes posted a solo block and teamed up with Jess Feddersen on another stop to grab a 7-1 lead. Although the Panthers responded and pulled within two at 11-9, the Captains simply ran away again. Conway had a kill, assist, and block on three straight rallies before Terran Bargeron smashed an ace on the way to an 18-10 lead.

Following an ace by Conway, Rye stepped up to close out the set. The freshman standout roped three kills, including the final blast, to secure a 25-13 victory.

Trailing by two sets, Ferrum kept it close in the beginning of the third frame, battling to a 6-6 draw. After that point, CNU turned it on again. Rye crushed a pair of kills, Conway and Kara Elder fired aces, and McIntyre landed a big blow to give the hosts a 17-8 lead.

With another commanding advantage, the Captains used their serving skills to seal the three-set victory. Rye ripped a one-timer before Brooke Moore uncorked back-to-back aces to close out a 25-10 win.

Against Ferrum, Rye led the team with eight kills, while Kolden had seven blasts on just nine swings. Jensen, Conway, and Moore all had three aces as well.

With their 99th consecutive conference victory in the bag, CNU came out firing against Meredith in the nightcap on the way to an even 100. Harris and Jensen both had two kills in the early going, while Lacy teamed up on three blocks as the hosts snatched a 12-4 lead.

Although the Avenging Angels battled hard in the middle of the frame, CNU continued to dominate at the service line. Kolden smacked an ace before Moore came through with consecutive winners for the second time during the day as the Captains pulled out to a double-digit advantage at 19-8.

From there, Jensen unloaded three kills to help the squad secure set point before Kolden drove home the clincher to grab a 25-10 victory in the first stanza against Meredith.

Off to another good start, the Captains were perfect in the beginning of the second set. Harris had three kills and a block, Jensen roped a kill and stuffed an Angel attack, and Abby Hogge lined an ace on the way to a 10-0 lead.

From that point on, Meredith struggled to overcome its double-digit deficit as the Captains remained in control. Jensen continued her strong afternoon with another kill and ace before Fellows added a block and blast to give CNU a 23-7 lead. After Katie Jarrett gave the team set point with a scorching ace, the hosts capitalized on a Meredith misstep to clinch a 25-9 win.

After cruising to victories in their first five sets of the day, the Captains were tested by the Avenging Angels in the final frame. The visitors got off to a good start, securing a 9-5 advantage. Down by four, CNU regrouped and regained its footing. Bargeron led the comeback as the sophomore middle blocker blasted two kills and stuffed a Meredith attack to help the Captains pull within one at 11-10.

Although the Angels whistled for a timeout to help stop the surge, Christopher Newport never faltered. Harris ripped an ace to even the match at 11 before Bargeron added another kill and McIntyre smacked back-to-back winners on the way to a 14-11 edge.

Back in control, CNU never let its lead slip away. Although Meredith chipped its deficit back down to one at 15-14, the Captain freshmen took over again. McIntyre blasted a kill, Conway lined an ace, and Rye uncorked another rocket on the way to a 21-16 lead.

Four points from victory, Rye drove home two more kills before Jarrett put the game away with a crushing blow that capped off a 25-17 win in the decisive third set.

Harris and Jensen both posted seven kills against the Angels, while McIntyre and Rye had five apiece. Lacy led the defensive effort, notching four blocks.

During the two matches, Conway led the Captains with 37 assists, while Alyssa Kidd had 24 in just two sets of action. On the defensive end, Hogge had a team-high 14 digs, while Bargeron, Jensen, and Rye all had three blocks.

Christopher Newport will return to action on Tuesday when the squad heads down the road for a battle with Virginia Wesleyan at 7 p.m.

---CNU---