Box Score

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Freshmen Briana Sutton and Harper Smith anchored the offensive attack, while Rachel Conway chipped in with a double-double as the Christopher Newport volleyball team earned the top seed in the upcoming Capital Athletic Conference playoffs with a 3-0 victory over Mary Washington on Wednesday evening at the Freeman Center.

With the victory, the Captains improved to 20-12 on the season, including 7-0 in league action. Although CNU has a tri-match remaining on Saturday, the squad has clinched the No. 1 seed in the CAC Tournament and will have home court advantage throughout the playoffs.

After earning CAC Player of the Week honors yesterday, Sutton continued her surge with a team-high 12 kills against Mary Washington (15-10, 5-2 CAC). Smith also drilled 10 on just 20 swings, while Conway chipped in with a season-high 36 assists and 11 digs.

Along the net, Hannah Miller and Chastity Lacy also did damage while stifling the Mary Washington attack. Miller finished with seven kills and four blocks, including a pair of solo stops. Lacy added two rejections on Senior Day as well.

In the beginning of the first set, CNU's first-year standouts set the tone. Sutton and Smith each unloaded kills, while Miller chimed in with two blocks and a bullet on the way to a slim lead at 11-9. Later, Sutton and Miller peppered the Eagles with back-to-back darts before Lacy chipped in with two kills and a block to help secure a seven-point edge at 19-12.

Although Mary Washington retaliated with a few late runs, Christopher Newport continued to inch away. Smith and Krista Hughes eventually popped a pair of kills, while Miller added another rejection and Evelyn Harper fired an ace to wrap up a 25-20 victory.

Trailing by a set, the Eagles got off on the right foot in the second and pulled out to a modest 12-9 advantage despite two kills from Sutton. Although the visitors continued to poke at the Captains and stretched their lead to seven, two more kills by Sutton and a shot by Lacy allowed CNU to regain some momentum and whittle its deficit down to 20-17.

Still trying to get back on even ground, Christopher Newport fought hard with an incredible rally at the tail end of the set. Conway added a kill, block, and two assists, while Rachel Close made a spectacular diving dig that extended a rally and set-up a bullet by Miller that knotted the set at 23. Three rallies later, Miller broke another deadlock with a kill before a Kolden floater found open spaces to ice the second set, 26-24.

In the final frame, the two teams traded blows before Mary Washington used a modest three-point streak to take a 14-12 edge heading into a CNU timeout. The stoppage was exactly what the Captains needed as Hughes came out of the break with a dart before Smith tallied a block and two kills during a four-point run that gave the Captains a 16-14 lead.

Continuing the seesaw affair, UMW retaliated and grabbed another advantage before Sutton and Conway chipped in with two kills apiece to earn match-point at 24-22. With their backs against the wall, the Eagles returned the favor and put the Captains on edge with a 27-26 lead. Unfazed, Christopher Newport brushed aside the visitors as a pair of Mary Washington miscues and a final kill by Smith capped off the set, 29-27.

Brooke Moore continued to shine on the back row with 18 digs during the match. Harper also came through with seven, while Abby McIntyre added six and converted each of her 11 reception attempts. Lacy, who was appearing in her final regular season home match, chipped in with six kills to go along with her defensive efforts.

CNU will return to action on Saturday when the Captains head to Arlington for a tri-match against Marymount and Stevenson.

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