Box Score

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Behind a tremendous effort in all phases of the game, the Christopher Newport volleyball team collected its first-ever Capital Athletic Conference championship as the Captains stormed past Salisbury, 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-22), to clinch the program's seventh straight NCAA Tournament berth on Saturday afternoon at the Freeman Center.

After ripping off six straight USA South titles since 2007, CNU nabbed its first CAC crown after entering the league this summer. The Captains, who now sit at 24-12 on the year, will await word on their postseason destination. The NCAA selection show will be streamed on NCAA.com at 11 a.m. on Monday.

During the title bout, Christopher Newport received big-time performances from a pair of freshmen. Unfazed by the postseason spotlight, Briana Sutton clubbed 12 kills while hitting at a .455 clip. Hannah Miller also hit above .400 while posting 10 kills and a pair of blocks. Along with the young guns, Chastity Lacy led the veteran contingent with seven kills and six blocks. She also pounded two aces to round out a well-balanced performance.

Overall, CNU posted a .262 hitting percentage while limiting the Sea Gulls to a .175 mark. The hosts also posted eight blocks and pumped five aces while keeping Salisbury off-balance all match long.

Having been around for three championship runs already, Lacy fittingly got the team off to a great start in Saturday's first set. The senior popped three kills and unloaded an ace on the way to a 6-5 lead. Although the visitors eventually fought back and took a slim edge in the middle of the frame, Miller blistered two rockets to retake the lead at 14-12.

Once again, Salisbury battled back, but Sutton retaliated. The first-year standout uncorked back-to-back kills before adding two more late rockets on the way to a 22-18 lead. Although the Sea Gulls called a timeout and attempted to halt the run, Miller and Krista Hughes teamed up on a block and ripped one kill each to cap off the 25-19 opening set victory.

After a back-and-forth battle in the early part of the first, CNU made quick work of the visitors at the start of the second. Lacy and Abby McIntyre each crushed aces, while Hughes added another block and blast to grab an 11-6 edge. Later, after Salisbury used a four-point run to pull back in the match, Miller obliterated two more kills and Sutton added back-to-back tracers to secure a 19-15 edge.

Six points away from the win, Lacy stepped up with another top-notch effort. Over the final few rallies, she ripped a kill and teamed with Hughes on a devastating block to help ice the 25-20 win.

One set away from the CAC title, Christopher Newport jumped all over Salisbury in the beginning of the third. Sutton punched two kills and Lacy assisted on a pair of blocks before the Sea Gulls whistled for a timeout down 11-6. Simply refreshed by the break, the Captains got right back to work as Hughes added a dart and Miller collected a block to push the lead to eight at 15-7.

Refusing to back down, the visitors made a decent run in the middle of the frame to pull back within one, but their comeback bid fell short. Fittingly, after Hughes, McIntyre, and Kolden collected kills, CNU's fabulous freshmen closed out the championship. Miller blasted a bullet to earn match-point before Sutton whipped the clincher to seal the 25-22 win.

In addition to Sutton and Miller, Hughes also collected seven kills and four blocks. Brooke Moore anchored the back row with 12 digs, while Rachel Conway added six in addition to her 38 assists.

---CNU---