MANHEIM, Pa. -- Notching five straight victories, the Christopher Newport volleyball team will look to continue its winning ways on Friday at 6 p.m. when the Captains head north for a Capital Athletic Conference battle with Penn State Harrisburg at the Spooky Nook Sports Complex.

Entering the match-up on a roll, the Captains sit a 16-11 overall, including 3-0 in conference action. The squad has swept its last five opponents, including a pair of 3-0 victories over CAC foes Frostburg State and Wesley.

Winning just one of their last 10 matches, Penn State Harrisburg has stumbled a bit recently and sits at 5-18 overall. The team is also 0-4 in league action but does boast a pair of victories at home this season.

Yet another unfamiliar foe on CNU's schedule, the Captains and Lions have never faced each other. Penn State Harrisburg is one of 13 new opponents on Christopher Newport's docket this year. So far this season, the team sports a 6-4 record against its first-time rivals.

Offensively, CNU has been coming on strong, hitting over .250 in four of its previous five matches, including a .356 mark against Frostburg State last Saturday. Briana Sutton has been at the forefront of that surge, notching double-digit kill efforts in five of her last six outings, including a season-high 14 against Virginia Wesleyan on October 11.

Rachel Conway has also been a key figure for the Captains and recently earned CAC Co-Player of the Week honors for her efforts. The sophomore standout leads CNU with 495 assists, ranks third with 64 blocks, and has caught fire from the service line with 11 aces in the last five matches. She has also been efficient along the net, collecting 15 kills without a single error during the last four contests.

Keeping up the intensity on the defensive end, Chastity Lacy has 98 blocks and is looking to become the fourth Captain in program history to notch 100 in back-to-back seasons. Hannah Miller has also been a defensive stalwart, collecting 67 blocks this year, while Ashley Rock has at least one stop in four straight matches, including four against William Peace on Saturday.

Anchoring the back line, Brooke Moore has had at least nine digs in six straight matches and currently ranks second on the team with 221 this season. Freshman Evelyn Harper has also been a top contributor lately, recording three straight double-digit dig efforts before securing eight more in her last appearance against Wesley.

Vying for their first CAC victory, Penn State Harrisburg joined the league this summer after serving as a member of the North Eastern Athletic Conference. So far this season, the Lions have received solid contributions from Chidere Igwe, who leads the team with 122 kills and 35 blocks. Freshman Marion Chlipala has also roped 119 kills and 31 aces.

Equally adept on the outside, Kiara Carter sits third on the team with 85 blasts, while Elizabeth Findley has added a team-high 205 assists. Erin Goodyear and Jessica Farabaugh have split time as the libero, notching over 170 digs apiece.

---CNU---