Box Score

HUNTINGDON, Pa. – The Christopher Newport volleyball team's 2013 campaign came to a close on Saturday afternoon as the Captains bowed out in the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-20) setback against No. 17 Eastern at Juniata's Memorial Gymnasium Court.

With the loss, CNU concludes 2013 with a 25-13 overall record. Eastern improves to 31-4 and advances to tomorrow's Regional Championship match.

Making her final appearance with the Captains, senior Chastity Lacy posted a match-high eight blocks, including a pair of solo stops. With that performance, she wrapped up the year with 147 total rejections, which stands third on the program's single-season list. She also climbed into fourth-place on the career list with 330.

Along with Lacy's work on the defensive end, Hannah Miller punched a team-high seven kills while posting a .278 hitting percentage. The freshman also came through with a pair of blocks to finish with 106 on the season. Rachel Conway assisted on four stops in addition to her 17 assists as well.

Early on in the match, CNU kept the contest close and battled Eastern to several ties in the first set. Fittingly, Lacy got things started with three straight blocks during an incredible run at the start of the contest. Later, Miller notched a block and kill before Brooke Moore ripped an ace to knot the score at 11.

Unfortunately, Eastern took control after that. The Eagles swept 13 of the next 16 rallies to earn set-point at 24-14. With the game unraveling, Jessie Kolden drove home a kill to halt the run before Miller added back-to-back bullets. Sensing a shift in momentum, Eastern called for a timeout, and following the break, sealed the 25-18 victory with a kill by Kearby Benak.

Dealt a tough blow in the first frame, Christopher Newport regrouped early in the second. Lacy collected a kill and two blocks, while Harper Smith pummeled the Eagles with another blast to grab a quick 5-2 lead. Once again, Eastern had an answer. Although Miller and Sutton chimed in with kills during the middle of the set, the Eagles pieced together a run of six straight winners to cap off a huge comeback that gave the team an 18-8 lead.

Staring at a double-digit deficit, Hughes and Lacy came through with late kills, but Christopher Newport never could regain its footing as Eastern snatched a 25-15 win in the second set.

Playing out the same way as the first two frames, the Captains found a rhythm early in the third stanza before fading a bit towards the end. Lacy collected two quick rejections and Conway assisted on a pair of stops to tie the score at eight. Later, Sutton added another tracer before Smith and Miller unloaded back-to-back darts to keep the game deadlocked at 14.

With a chance to pull back into the match, Miller continued her run with two more kills, while Rachel Close punched an ace to give the squad a brief lead at 17-16. Unfortunately, Eastern retaliated. The Eagles won five straight rallies, and after Conway broke the run with a block and blast, EU rolled again to earn the sweep with a 25-20 win in the third.

Along the back row, Moore had eight digs for the Captains, while Close had seven. Conway also added five during the contest.

Although the season ended without a berth in the NCAA Championships for the first time in five years, Christopher Newport has a lot to build upon. With only one senior on the current roster and a collection of young talent already showing promise, the Captains look strong heading into the future.

---CNU---