NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Coming home for the first time in nearly a month, the 19th-ranked Christopher Newport volleyball team will host its annual two-day CNU Invitational beginning on Friday evening at the Freeman Center.

On Friday, the Captains will open up action with a 4 p.m. showdown against No. 7 Juniata before squaring off against No. 17 Wisconsin-Whitewater at 8 p.m. The following afternoon, CNU will battle Scranton at noon prior to the tournament finale against No. 15 Eastern at 4:30 p.m.

Nearly all of the action at the CNU Invitational, including every match featuring the Captains, will be available on live stats and a web stream at CNUsports.com. In addition to the CNU contests, the Wisconsin-Whitewater – Scranton and Juniata – Scranton matches will be streamed live. Direct links can be found on Christopher Newport's schedule page or by visiting CNUsports.com/Live.

Non-conference rivals, the Captains have a history with three of their four opponents, including recent battles against Eastern and Juniata. Overall, JC holds a 6-2 edge in the all-time series, while EU has split its four meetings with CNU. Christopher Newport also won the only meeting with Wisconsin-Whitewater back in 2011. Scranton has never matched up against the Captains.

Entering the Invitational with a 9-7 record, Christopher Newport split its last four matches during the prestigious Gargoyle Classic in Chicago. Overall, five of the squad's setbacks have come against top-25 opponents and the other two losses are against programs currently receiving votes in the national poll.

Chastity Lacy has been on a nice run in the early part of the season, leading the squad with 111 kills, 54 blocks, and a .269 hitting percentage. She is also tied with Abby McIntyre for the team-lead with 18 aces. In addition to her serving prowess, McIntyre also ranks second on the roster with 137 digs and third with 103 kills.

The team's freshmen have served as a bright spot this season, including Hannah Miller, who ranks second on the squad with 108 kills and 44 blocks. Fellow first-year standout Briana Sutton has also averaged 2.28 kills-per-set, while Rachel Close has a 3.54 digs-per-frame mark.

In the midst of a 13-match winning streak, Juniata comes to Newport News with a perfect 13-0 record. Junior Amelia Kepler leads the Eagles with 142 kills and 22 blocks. Amy Miller has also contributed 111 kills and 17 aces, while Kelly Reynolds is averaging just over 11 assists per set.

Coming to town following a loss in their last outing, Wisconsin-Whitewater had been on a tear earlier in the season while rolling to an 11-match winning streak. Entering with a 13-4 overall record, the Warhawks have been guided by an incredibly well-rounded offense, which has five players boasting at least 100 kills. Lauren Pfeifer leads the way with 165 blasts, while Staci Hasler has 142 and 33 aces.

Under the guidance of first-year head coach Jamie Spangler, Scranton is off to a 5-12 start in 2013. Julia Crilly has been the focal point for the Royals, pumping 214 kills to go along with 35 aces and 19 blocks. Michaela McCrudden has also tallied 27 aces and is averaging 2.25 digs-per-set.

The 15th-ranked Eastern Eagles have found a great deal of success in the early going, rolling out to a 13-2 record so far this season. Kearby Benak and Katrina Pisch have paced the front line with a combined 284 kills, while Lauren Sproles has added 127 as well. Anchoring the back row, Rylie Haas has a 4.9 digs-per-set average. Rikki Schlager has been just as successful, pitching in with 583 assists and 19 aces.

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