NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Piecing together another outstanding effort on Saturday afternoon, senior setter
Rachel Conway picked up her 3000th career assist and helped carry the fourth-ranked Christopher Newport volleyball team to a pair of victories as the Captains swept Frostburg State, 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-23), before toppling Washington & Lee, 3-0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-15), in a twin bill at the Freeman Center.
With her performance on Saturday, Conway became the fourth player in program history to reach 3000 career assists. Eclipsing that benchmark in the first set against Frostburg State, she became the second fastest Captain to accomplish the feat. Overall, she joined the 3000-assist club in just her 360th career set, trailing only CNU Hall of Famer Brittany Collins, who reached the mark in 311 frames.
By the end of the doubleheader, Conway posted 69 assists on Saturday, which bumped her career total to 3062. Showing off her impressive skill set, she also added 10 digs, two blocks, and a pair of aces during the twin bill.
Along with the squad's history-maker,
Briana Sutton clubbed a team-high 24 kills on Saturday and added her fourth double-double of the year with 11 blasts and 11 digs in the nightcap against Washington & Lee.
Abby McIntyre also tallied 19 kills and five aces during the two matches, while
Hannah Miller chipped in with 18 kills and a .395 hitting percentage.
On the defensive end,
Rachel Close picked up a team-high 24 digs and Miller contributed five blocks, including a pair of solo stops, on Saturday.
With the two wins, Christopher Newport improves to 18-2 on the season, including 3-0 in the CAC. Meanwhile, Frostburg State now stands at 11-13 with an 0-3 mark in league action, while Washington & Lee boasts a 10-9 record.
In the opener against Frostburg State, the Bobcats snatched an early 7-4 lead in the first set before McIntyre found her rhythm. Peppering the opposition with a relentless assault, the senior standout punched four kills and added an ace to help turn the tide and give CNU a 13-9 edge. Shortly thereafter, Sutton hammered three kills and
Ashley Rock added a block and blast to sustain a four-point edge at 19-15.
Although FSU was able to chip its deficit down to two, the Captains closed out the set in style. Sprinkled between three Bobcat miscues, Miller added a late bullet and teamed with McIntyre on a block to clinch the first frame, 25-18.
Carrying the momentum into the second stanza, McIntyre clocked two early kills and Sutton punched three to nab an 11-5 lead heading into an FSU timeout. Although the visitors managed to pull back within four,
Evelyn Harper spun an ace and Conway dropped in a pair of kills to quiet the comeback on the way to a 19-12 edge.
With more than enough cushion, Conway crushed an ace to force another FSU timeout before
Maddie McCann clubbed a rocket right after the break. Inching towards another victory, Rock and McIntyre slammed home two straight kills to wrap up the set, 25-15.
Looking to close out the match quickly, Sutton laced three kills during a five-point run to steal an 8-4 advantage. Later, she added another winner and Rock came through with a huge solo block, but the Bobcats clawed their way back into the contest. Winning six straight rallies, the visitors were able to sneak away with a modest 13-12 edge and continued to trade blows with the Captains during a back-and-forth affair.
Although Miller smashed a pair of kills and Conway slung an ace, Frostburg State continued to hold the lead at 23-22. Refusing to let the match drag on any longer, Miller evened the score with a dagger before an FSU error gave the Captains match-point. Following a Bobcat timeout, Miller put an end to the madness as she collected the clincher off a feed from Conway to lock up the 25-23 triumph.
Overall, Miller finished with nine kills and a sizzling .529 hitting percentage against Frostburg State. Sutton also added 13 kills, while McIntyre chipped in with nine and 15 digs. Close also secured a match-high 17 digs, while Conway dished out 41 assists.
With one victory in their pocket, the Captains returned to the court looking for the sweep against Washington & Lee in the nightcap. Once again, McIntyre set the tone early as she ripped a kill and two aces, while Miller added a block and blast on the way to a 10-4 lead. Shortly thereafter, McIntyre recorded three more kills, including a tip over the W&L block following an acrobatic dig by Conway, to snare a 16-8 edge.
Later, Sutton continued to extend the lead with two rockets, including one that demolished a back-row defender. With more than enough breathing room, the Captains showed off some of their youth in the final few rallies.
Cat Boyle took over at the service line and made a spectacular sliding dig on her knees before a W&L error.
Kellyn DeChirico also crushed a kill to take a 23-12 lead before Sutton added the final two nails to close out the 25-15 triumph.
In the second, the veterans helped lead CNU to another quick advantage. Sutton had a great up on the far sideline to keep a rally alive before McIntyre tipped a floater into the corner. Later, McIntyre also dotted the back line with an ace before McCann ripped a kill and had a back-breaking solo block to grab a 12-7 lead.
Still rolling in the middle of the set, Harper fired an ace before Miller pummeled the Generals with two kills, including a picture-perfect quick hitter off a textbook feed from Conway. Holding a 17-9 advantage, the Captains eased into the win with a solid defensive effort.
Madi Wickens kept a pair of rallies alive with a dig and reception, while Miller and McCann closed off the far pin with a devastating block to grab set-point at 24-20.
After blistering a kill earlier in the set,
Tessa Klimaitis showed off her serving prowess to close out the frame. The freshman snapped off a rocket on the final serve, which got the Generals off-balance and led to an error that sealed the 25-20 triumph.
Still flashing its youth early in the third stanza, CNU received a great effort from
Josie Lucernoni. On one rally, the freshman made a pair of digs from her knees to keep the floor clean before Miller pumped a dart. Soon after, Sutton laced a back-row kill and unloaded another shot off an overpass that tattooed the end line to take an 8-4 edge. With the offense firing on all cylinders, Miller abused the block with another kill before McIntyre added a pair, including one that ricocheted off a defender and landed in the stands behind the court.
Clutching a 19-11 lead, Christopher Newport rolled to the victory. Miller added her final two kills, including a thunderous shot off a free ball, to push the edge to 22-15. Following a kill by Rock and a Washington & Lee error, Sutton drove home the final nail with a laser to the back corner off a perfect feed from
Tylar McGill to ice the 25-15 triumph.
Along with Sutton's double-double, McIntyre contributed 10 kills, six digs, and four aces against the Generals. Miller added nine kills and two blocks, while Conway dished out 28 assists to round out her historic afternoon.
Christopher Newport will be back in action on Wednesday at 7 p.m. when the Captains host Mary Washington in a CAC showdown at the Freeman Center.
---CNU---
