Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

LEXINGTON, Va. -- On the first day of the Washington & Lee Invitational, the fifth-ranked Christopher Newport volleyball team split a pair of matches as the Captains fell to No. 14 Otterbein, 3-1 (25-14, 17-25, 25-11, 25-15) before taking down Southern Virginia, 3-1 (25-18, 25-13, 19-25, 26-24) on Friday evening at the Doremus Gym.

With the split, CNU stands at 4-2 on the season.

During the two matches, Abby McIntyre led the Captains with 16 kills to go along with 19 digs and two aces. Chastity Lacy also chipped in with 12 kills and three aces, while Hannah Miller led the way defensively with four blocks. Rachel Conway helped round out the attack with a team-high 38 assists, while freshman setter Paxton Crooks collected a double-double in the first match of the day with 16 helpers and 12 digs.

Following CNU's setback against Otterbein to open the day, the squad regrouped with a strong showing against Southern Virginia. Battling their fellow Capital Athletic Conference foes in a unique non-league tilt, the Captains excelled from the start. The team burst out of the gate with two kills by Briana Sutton and a pair of aces by Rachel Close on the way to a 13-7 advantage. After that point, the squad eventually picked up four straight winners, including a kill and assist by Conway, to secure an impressive 17-8 edge.

Despite a minor run by the Knights, Christopher Newport never lost control. Miller and Krista Hughes picked up kills to give the squad some extra cushion before McIntyre came through in the end with two late bullets to seal the 25-18 win.

The second set played much like the first as CNU grabbed an early lead and cruised from there. Following her heroics at the end of the first set, McIntyre continued to shine in the second with four quick kills before a Southern Virginia timeout. The stoppage did nothing to hinder McIntyre as the sophomore fired three blasts over the next four rallies to give the squad a tremendous 20-8 advantage. Once again, the Knights tried to hang in at the end, but Maddie McCann added the final two daggers, while Hughes chipped in with a block to ice the second set, 25-13.

With the team's back firmly against the wall, Southern Virginia fought hard in the third. Although CNU pulled out to a modest 11-9 lead, including blocks by Crooks, Hughes, and Ashley Rock, the Knights quickly knotted the score and kept it even until 18-18. After that, April Bennett smacked three straight aces before Katilyn Eaton tallied a pair of blocks at the end of the frame to steal the third set, 25-19.

With some momentum, Southern Virginia came storming out of the gate in the fourth. Although Miller punched a pair of kills and Jessie Kolden came through with an ace, the Knights secured a 16-12 edge. Later, the squad extended its lead to 23-17 following a spate of Captain miscues before Christopher Newport orchestrated an incredible run at the tail end of the match.

Staring at a six-point deficit, CNU started its comeback. McIntyre got things rolling with a kill before Southern Virginia responded to earn match-point at 24-20. With no margin for error, the Captains never faltered. Miller added a kill, Lacy stoned a Knight attack, and McIntyre chipped in with another blast to help even the set at 24. Following a timeout, a Conway kill gave the squad match point before the sophomore set up Sutton for the final dagger to close out the comeback with a 26-24 win.

McIntyre finished the contest with a career-high 15 kills, while McCann and Chance Rye posted seven apiece. McIntyre and Close tied for the team-lead with 13 digs to lead the defensive effort.

In the first match of the day, the Captains squared off with Otterbein in a top-20 showdown. Although the squads were able to split the first two sets, the Cardinals eventually got the best of CNU on the way to a 3-1 victory.

Otterbein asserted itself on serve-receive during the contest, finishing with 15 aces. Kendel Kellogg pumped six for the Cardinals, while Tabatha Piper added four to headline the squad's efforts.

During the first set, Otterbein pulled out to an 11-5 lead heading into a CNU timeout. Following the break, Piper collected back-to-back aces while helping the Cardinals extend their advantage to 17-8 entering another stoppage. Although the Captains kept battling, including a pair of blasts by Lacy and a kill and ace by Harper Smith, OU eventually secured a double-digit victory, 25-14.

Stung by the setback, CNU retaliated in the second. Lacy collected a kill, ace, and block during a well-rounded effort on the way to a 9-9 draw. Later, after Otterbein took a brief lead, the Captains ran off six straight winners, including an ace by Rock and a block by Miller, to grab a 15-12 lead.

Although the Cardinals stuck around, CNU came through in the end behind an incredible run by Miller. During a three-point roll, the freshman chipped in with three straight blocks, including a devastating solo stop that helped cap off the 25-17 win.

With the match knotted at one set apiece, Otterbein regained its footing. Despite two early kills by Lacy, the Cardinals capitalized on three aces by Kellogg to grab an intimidating 16-6 lead. As the game slipped away, Smith tacked on two late kills and McCann added a shot, but OU eased into the 25-11 victory.

One set away from their second straight loss, the Captains took an early lead in the fourth behind a kill and ace by Lacy. Despite the early stumble, Otterbein responded with another run, which gave the squad a 16-10 lead heading into a CNU timeout. Unfortunately, the stoppage did little to sway the momentum. The Cardinals won nine of the final 14 rallies, including two more aces, to secure the four-set victory with a 25-15 win in the final frame.

During the contest, Lacy was a force on the offensive side with eight kills to go along with a .467 hitting percentage. Miller excelled defensively with four blocks.

Christopher Newport will be back in action tomorrow when the squad wraps up its stay in Lexington with a 1 p.m. match against Meredith and a 3:30 showdown with Washington & Lee.

---CNU---