NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- In a grueling, back-and-forth, five-set thriller, the ninth-ranked Christopher Newport volleyball team came away with a hard-fought victory over St. Mary's in the semifinals of the Capital Athletic Conference Tournament as the Captains edged the Seahawks, 3-2 (25-17, 24-26, 24-26, 25-17, 16-14) on Thursday evening at the Freeman Center.

With the win, CNU improves to 30-3 on the season and advances to the CAC Championship Match, which will be played at the Freeman Center on Saturday at 3 p.m. The Captains will battle the sixth-seeded Salisbury Sea Gulls for the league title.

During the contest, Rachel Conway recorded a double-double with 48 assists and 13 digs. The junior setter also came through with the play of the year on a highlight-reel kill late in the fifth set, which staved off match-point and allowed the Captains to continue their comeback.

Helping anchor the offensive attack, Hannah Miller roped 15 kills and Maddie McCann contributed 11. Jessie Kolden and Eliza Fisher also pumped nine apiece.

On the defensive end, Brooke Moore pocketed a team-high 14 digs, while Kolden blanketed the floor throughout the match. The senior stepped up with an incredible effort, notching a season-high 13 digs to go along with a perfect 12-for-12 effort on serve-receive. Miller and Krista Hughes both added four blocks to help lead the way along the net.

After Christopher Newport fought back to knot the match at two sets apiece, Kolden got the squad off to a fast start in the fifth as the senior ripped a kill on the opening rally before teaming with Miller on a block to grab a 2-0 advantage. Unfortunately, the Seahawks retaliated with a huge five-point streak, and after Kolden snapped it with a bullet, the visitors won two more rallies to snatch a commanding 8-4 edge.

With their backs firmly planted against the wall, the Captains had no choice but to begin digging out of the hole. McCann fired a rope into the heart of the SMC defense, and after a pair of Seahawk miscues, Fisher added a kill of her own to pull back within one at 10-9. Soon after, the freshman southpaw added another dart and an ace to even the score at 12 heading into a St. Mary's timeout.

Following the stoppage, the visitors managed to steal two of the next three rallies to earn match-point at 14-13. With the season in the balance, Rachel Close handled a tough serve and sent the ball spinning towards the antenna. Needing to make a play, Conway burst over, spun, and saved the ball just before in clanked off the pole. In a single move, she elevated, turned, and dropped in a perfectly-placed, reverse kill that crashed down in the center of the SMC defense to knot the frame at 14.

Back on even ground, the Captains wasted no time putting the match away. Following a Seahawk error, Hughes drove home the final nail off a feed from Conway to close out the set, 16-14, and send the squad to the CAC Championship match.

The final kill capped off an outstanding performance by Hughes, who finished with eight blasts while hitting .462. The senior standout currently has 39 kills and a .515 attack percentage during her last five appearances.

The fifth set was a microcosm of the entire match as the two squads traded blows throughout the contest. In the opening frame, the Captains looked to be in fine shape as the hosts got off to an excellent start. Miller was nothing short of unstoppable during the first as the sophomore helped CNU secure a 10-5 lead after teaming with Briana Sutton on a rejection while hammering home three kills and an ace. Later, she blasted two more darts straight through the SMC block on back-to-back rallies before St. Mary's called for a timeout.

Although the visitors were able to chip their deficit down to three, Sutton answered with a vengeance as the second-year star blistered a bullet off a Seahawk that eventually landed in the bleachers. Hughes also came through with two kills, while Fisher added one to earn set-point. Fittingly, Miller capped off the frame after roping another kill off the block to seal the 25-17 win.

With one set in hand, the Captains got off to another strong start in the second as Miller pummeled two kills and both Fisher and Sutton stung aces on the way to a 9-6 lead. Later, Moore fired an ace of her own to help push the advantage to four at 13-9. Unfortunately, things quickly went awry after that point.

Staring at a modest deficit, the Seahawks ripped off nine straight winners to grab an 18-13 lead. Showing the same resiliency, the Captains responded as Kolden and McCann both smashed a pair of kills before Moore slammed another ace to take a 22-21 edge. Later, the hosts earned set-point after a kill by Miller and a Seahawk miscue, but St. Mary's continued battling and eventually swept the final three rallies to sneak away with a 26-24 triumph.

With some momentum, the Seahawks kept the Captains within reach throughout the third set. Although Miller chipped in with three quick kills and a block, SMC was able to keep the game knotted at 12. Later, Hughes added two blasts and Moore slung an ace, but the hosts still found themselves deadlocked at 21.

Similar to the second, the team used another late push to earn set-point. Following a kill by McCann, Kolden skied over the net and drilled a dagger straight to the floor off an overpass to help grab a 24-23 lead. Unfortunately, the Seahawks had enough left in the tank once again as the squad swiped the last three rallies to notch an identical 26-24 win.

Trailing in a match for the first time in over a month, Christopher Newport remained calm and settled in during the fourth set. With the crowd helping to spur them on, the Captains got off to a strong start. Miller led the way early with two kills, while Hughes contributed a pair of blocks. The senior also won a joust at the net on an overpass for a strong-arm kill that gave the hosts a 13-10 advantage.

Although the visitors were able to pull back within two on multiple occasions, CNU continued to hold them at bay. McCann stepped up with two kills and a block during a four-rally surge before Fisher and Hughes teamed up on a back-breaking rejection, which handed CNU a 22-14 lead. From there, McCann and Kolden both muscled kills before an SMC error gave the hosts a 25-17 victory.

With the match tied at two sets apiece, the Captains were able to cap off their comeback with another huge rally in the fifth to keep their championship hopes alive.

During the contest, CNU slung nine aces, including three by Moore. Fisher punched a pair of winners for the Captains as well, while Abby McIntyre spun one to go along with nine digs. The squad also limited St. Mary's to just three aces, including a 30-for-32 effort on serve-receive by Moore.

---CNU---