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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The ninth-ranked Christopher Newport volleyball team will open up the 2014 NCAA Championships on Friday at 8 p.m. when the Captains battle top-ranked Calvin in the Elite Eight at the Freeman Center.
Christopher Newport enters the NCAA Championships after winning the Newport News Regional title on Sunday. Overall, the Captains come into the final weekend with a 34-3 record and are currently riding a 16-match winning streak. It marks the fifth time in six years that CNU will compete in the NCAA Championships.
On the other side of the court, Calvin comes in ranked first in the nation after compiling a 30-3 record. The Knights won the Kenosha, Wisconsin Regional Championship on Saturday after toppling Carthage, 3-1. Similar to the Captains, the Knights have been on a tremendous roll as well, ripping off 17 straight victories since a 3-0 setback against Hope on September 20.
For those fans looking to catch the action at the Freeman Center, single-session tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for students, seniors, and children. All-session passes for the entire weekend are $20 for adults and $15 for students, seniors, and children.
Fans can also follow along with the action with live stats and a web stream. Direct links to both features can be found at the top of this release and on the CNU schedule page.
Friday's match-up features two of the most potent attacks in the nation. Calvin comes into the game ranked first in the country with a .299 hitting percentage. Christopher Newport has also been efficient this season, compiling a .263 mark, which ranks fifth in the NCAA. Along with a strong offense, CNU also ranks 16th in the country with 311 aces, while Calvin is third with a 13.05 assists-per-set average.
Individually, the Captains are led by four players who collected All-American honors earlier this week.
Hannah Miller became just the second player in CNU history to earn first-team plaudits while piecing together a tremendous sophomore season. She is currently one of only two players in the country who ranks in the top-20 in blocks and hitting percentage. The second-year standout is 15th with a .359 hitting percentage and 17th with 129 rejections.
Rachel Conway, who was named a second-team All-American, ranks 20th in the NCAA with 1,224 assists. On the outside,
Briana Sutton and
Eliza Fisher also snagged national honors while providing a powerful punch throughout the year. Sutton leads the team with a 2.95 kills-per-set average and Fisher sits fourth with a 2.17 mark. The first-year phenom has also compiled a .268 hitting percentage and 46 aces.
Along with the national honorees,
Maddie McCann is third on the team with 291 kills, while
Abby McIntyre has clubbed a team-high 57 aces.
Ashley Rock has pieced together a well-rounded performance this season as well and ranks second on the squad with 87 blocks and 47 aces. On the back row,
Brooke Moore leads the way with a 3.78 digs-per-set average.
Calvin is led by junior Maggie Kamp, who was named the AVCA National Player of the Year this season. The third member of her family to earn the award, she ranks 13th in the NCAA with a 4.44 kills-per-set average. Jenna Lodewyk has also been outstanding for the Knights, ranking second in the nation with an 11.28 assists-per-set mark. A third-team All-American, she was also named the AVCA National Freshman of the Year.
Along with the top two award-winners, Calvin has also received major contributions from Laura Danhoff, who secured second-team All-American nods while ranking eighth in the NCAA with a .377 hitting percentage. She has also chipped in on the defensive end with a team-high 92 blocks, while Elise Biesboer has a team-best 4.39 digs-per-set average.
Friday's battle will be a rematch of the 2012 Final Four when Calvin defeated CNU, 3-1, in Holland, Michigan. Three current Captains saw action in that contest as
Jessie Kolden clocked 11 kills, while McIntyre and Moore combined for seven digs on the defensive end. The Knights were led by Kamp, who notched a match-high 15 kills.
The winner of Friday's match-up will advance to the Final Four on Saturday for a bout with the survivor of the Hope - Clarkson contest. Game time is slated for 7:30 p.m.
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