Box Score

ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. – Freshman Briana Sutton set a new season-high with 15 kills and collected her first career double-double to help lead the Christopher Newport volleyball team to its seventh straight victory as the Captains took down St. Mary's, 3-1 (25-15, 25-15, 22-25, 25-17) during a Capital Athletic Conference clash on Wednesday evening at the O'Brien Athletic & Recreation Center.

During the contest, Sutton pumped 15 kills while hitting at a .355 clip. She also chipped in with a career-best 12 digs against the Seahawks. Rachel Conway also chimed in with 26 assists and five aces, while Krista Hughes and Harper Smith each added nine kills apiece.

The victory moves CNU to 18-11 on the season, including 5-0 in conference action. St. Mary's sits at 15-7 overall and 1-4 against league foes.

At the start of the match, the Captains stormed out quickly behind a huge 10-point run. During the early going, Conway had a kill and three aces, while Sutton added a block and blast to push CNU's lead to 13-5. Although St. Mary's started trading rallies with the visitors during the middle of the frame, Hughes and Smith each popped a pair of kills, while Chastity Lacy ripped an ace on the way to a double-digit lead at 21-11.

Still battling, the Seahawks stole a few rallies near the end of the frame, but CNU never relented. Sutton and Lacy each pounded kills before Conway helped finish off the set with her fourth ace to snatch a 25-15 victory.

The second stanza was slightly closer in the beginning, but Sutton found a groove and chucked three kills, while Smith tacked on four more during an impressive surge that led to a 10-4 edge. Although the hosts eventually chipped their deficit back down to three, CNU pieced together another assault. Once again, Sutton was at the forefront with four more darts, while Lacy and Conway teamed up on a beautiful block to help Christopher Newport earn a 22-9 advantage.

St. Mary's eventually orchestrated a late run, but it was simply too little to change the inevitable. Finally, Lacy set-up set point with a pair of kills before Hughes and Hannah Miller teamed up on one final block to send the Seahawks reeling with a 25-15 triumph in the second.

Staring at a two-set deficit, the hosts responded in the third. Although Sutton got off to another good start with three quick kills, St. Mary's won 14 of the next 18 battles to grab a 14-8 edge. Smith and Lacy retaliated with a blast each, while Abby McIntyre unloaded back-to-back aces, but the Seahawks withstood the late surge to pull out a 25-22 win.

With SMC making a late-match statement, Christopher Newport put a halt to the comeback bid with a fast start in the fourth. Lacy kicked things off with two kills and a block, while Hughes stepped up with a pair of blasts and a rejection of her own. Miller also contributed a block and kill during the early surge that gave CNU an 11-5 lead.

Struggling to regain their footing, the Seahawks eventually pulled back within three, but the Captains always had an answer. Miller and Hughes teamed up on another block to slow down St. Mary's on the way to a 21-16 lead. Later, after SMC won a rally, Miller and Paxton Crooks chipped in with late kills before Rachel Close added the final nail with an ace to clinch the match with a 25-17 victory in the fourth.

Defensively, Hughes led the way with five blocks, while Miller had four. Brooke Moore paced the back row with 13 digs, and McIntyre added 11 to go along with her two aces.

Christopher Newport will return to action on Saturday with a tri-match at the Freeman Center. The Captains will open up play against York (Pa.) at 11 a.m. before returning to the court for a 3 p.m. showdown with Washington & Lee.

---CNU---