HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- The 12th-ranked Christopher Newport volleyball team will look to continue its early-season surge on Friday when the Captains head north for the beginning of the Juniata / ASICS Invitational at JC's Memorial Gymnasium.

CNU will open up the tournament with a 6 p.m. battle against SUNY Cortland on Friday. Later in the evening, the Captains will take on No. 6 Juniata at 8 p.m. On Saturday, the squad will wrap up the two-day invitational with a 3 p.m. showdown with Franklin & Marshall.

The Captains enter the tournament with an 11-1 record, which stands as the finest start in program history. The squad has already beaten five teams who competed in last year's NCAA Tournament, including 11th-ranked Eastern during the Mary Washington Invitational.

On an individual level, Christopher Newport has received huge contributions from its sophomore class. Hannah Miller leads the team with 134 kills, 35 blocks, and a .419 hitting percentage. Fellow second-year standouts Briana Sutton and Maddie McCann have also combined for 225 kills, while Rachel Close and Evelyn Harper have done fine work on the back row with 119 total digs.

In addition to the sophomores, junior Rachel Conway has been terrific and ranks eighth nationally with a 10.74 assists-per-set average. Abby McIntyre also has a team-high 20 aces, while Brooke Moore leads the way with a 4.50 digs-per-set mark.

SUNY Cortland boasts a 6-7 record so far this season, including a win over Skidmore in its last outing on Saturday. The Red Dragons, who are 0-2 all-time against CNU, have capitalized on a team-high 93 kills and a .333 hitting percentage from Mary Kelly. She is also averaging 1.04 blocks-per-set, while Samantha Czeczotka has 22 aces. Melanie McGuirk headlines the back row with a 4.00 digs-per-set average.

Juniata enters its home tournament with a 9-1 record, including a 3-2 victory over No. 8 Wittenberg on Saturday. The Eagles, who are 7-2 all-time against the Captains, have received a team-high 90 kills from Mar-Jana Phillips so far this season. Nakita Gearhart has also tallied 73 kills, while Kelly Reynolds is averaging just under 10 assists-per-set. Brittani Young has paced the defense with 166 digs.

Franklin & Marshall has gotten off to a strong start in 2014 as the team stands at 7-4 entering Friday's action. The Diplomats, who are 0-3 all-time against the Captains, feature a well-balanced roster with four players notching at least 60 kills, including 82 by Ellie Ezekiel. Caroline Hubbard has also been outstanding for F&M, leading the team with 314 assists and 27 aces.

After this weekend, Christopher Newport will return to action on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. battle at Virginia Wesleyan.

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