ARLINGTON, Va. -- The fifth-ranked Christopher Newport volleyball team survived a scare on Saturday afternoon as the Captains battled back from a tough deficit in the fifth set and capitalized on a huge match from Abby McIntyre to edge Marymount, 3-2 (25-21, 19-25, 25-22, 21-25, 17-15), in a Capital Athletic Conference battle at the Verizon Sports Arena.
 
Stepping up with a tremendous effort, McIntyre posted 25 kills and 15 digs against the Saints. With that performance, she became only the seventh player in CNU history to reach both of those marks in a single match. The senior standout also contributed three blocks and hit .286 against Marymount.
 
Along with McIntyre, Hannah Miller drilled 16 kills while hitting at a .387 clip, while Katelyn Newsome and Maddie McCann contributed nine kills apiece. Additionally, Rachel Conway chipped in with a double-double after collecting 56 assists and 10 digs, and Rachel Close was magnificent on the back row with a match-high 24 digs.
 
With the victory, Christopher Newport improves to 27-2, including 9-0 in the CAC, and locks up the outright regular season conference championship. The win also marks the program's 136th consecutive win in a regular season league match dating back to 2006. That stands as the second longest streak in the country.
 
Meanwhile, the setback drops Marymount to 18-9 overall and 5-4 in league action. The Saints will enter the CAC playoffs as the conference's No. 5 seed.
 
After the two squads traded the first four sets of the match, they embarked on an epic battle in the fateful fifth frame. Ashley Rock led the Captains to a solid start with a pair of perfectly-placed serves, which got the Saints off-balance and led to two quick points, including a huge solo block by Newsome. Later, Miller blasted two kills, including a dart off a blocker, while McCann added a rocket of her own to grab a 6-4 advantage.
 
Unfortunately, the momentum flipped quickly as the Saints went on a six-point surge to take a 10-6 lead following a CNU timeout. Refusing to back down, McCann ripped a kill off the block before Newsome dropped a shot into the back corner, but the hosts were able to sustain a four-point advantage at 12-8 heading into another Christopher Newport timeout.
 
Following their final stoppage, the Captains turned to McIntyre, who simply erupted with a furious surge to pull the visitors back into the game. Carrying the team, she blistered three kills in the span of five rallies before Josie Lucernoni snapped off an ace to even the score at 13. Shortly thereafter, McIntyre added another strike off a feed from Conway to give CNU match-point at 15-14.
 
Although Marymount eventually evened the score again, the Captains had little interest in letting their late rally go to waste. Miller crushed a kill to earn another match-point before Conway and McCann slammed the door on a Saint attack attempt for the clinching block to ice the 17-15 victory.
 
Overall, Christopher Newport posted 11 blocks during the match. Miller and Newsome both assisted on five stops, while Conway, McIntyre, and Rock had a hand in three apiece. Also helping out on the defensive end, Evelyn Harper cleaned up with 16 digs and was a perfect 20-for-20 on reception attempts.
 
As exciting as the end of the match was, the entire contest was a back-and-forth battle between the two squads. The Captains drew first blood in the opening set behind a great early run by McIntyre. Getting off on the right foot, she unloaded six kills on the way to a 14-10 lead. Later, after Marymount battled back and evened the score at 17, McIntyre tooled the block with another rope before Rock drilled an ace to take a 19-17 edge.
 
Looking for a little more breathing room, Miller tipped a kill over the MU front line before teaming up with Conway on a rejection to help take a 22-18 lead heading into a Marymount timeout. Although the hosts were able to claw back within one, the defense stepped up for the Captains. Following another kill by McIntyre, Close made a tremendous sliding save to pop a free ball over the net before Miller and Conway joined forces on another block to earn set-point. One rally later, a miscue by the Saints handed a 25-21 victory to CNU.
 
In the second stanza, the hosts inched out to an 8-4 edge before Christopher Newport shot back. Leading the resurgence, Harper spun an ace before making a great dig from her knees that eventually led to a kill by McIntyre. Later, Miller came through with two blocks, while Lucernoni lofted a rainbow that crashed down on the back line for a pinpoint ace to snare a 13-10 edge.
 
Unfortunately, Marymount found its footing in the middle of the frame and stole 13 of the next 15 rallies to nail down to a 23-15 lead. With the set out-of-reach, the Captains still fought hard. McCann showed off her athleticism after going down to the floor for a dig before quickly regrouping and pounding a kill. Newsome also added a block and blast at the tail end of the stanza, but Marymount held on for a 25-19 triumph.
 
Back on even ground, Christopher Newport made a quick statement in the third. Once again, McIntyre led the early surge as she unleashed four kills in the first six rallies. Later, she teamed with McCann on a combo block, while Close drilled a serve that caught the top of the tape and dripped over the net for an ace that helped give the Captains an 11-4 edge.
 
Although the Saints managed to pull back within four at 15-11, CNU never relented. Miller abused the block with a kill before Conway dropped in a pair of dunks to secure a 19-11 advantage heading into an MU timeout. Despite a late push by the hosts, the Captains eased into the victory. Close made an acrobatic dig after tumbling head-over-heels before McIntyre capitalized with a kill. Soon after, Miller flashed some muscle and added the final two nails to ice the 25-22 win.
 
Looking to wrap things up in the fourth, Close headlined an early push with an ace and a second lightning bolt from the line that caused an MU miscue. Rock also contributed a block and kill, while McIntyre caught fire again with three blasts to help collect a 15-10 advantage.
 
Staring at a deficit, the Saints turned the tide around. With their backs against the wall, the hosts used a late surge to even the score at 17. Still rolling, Marymount strung together three more winners before McCann crushed a kill to break up the run. Unfortunately, the damage had already been done, and despite back-to-back darts by McIntyre and Newsome, MU held on for a 25-21 victory, which evened the match at two.
 
Fortunately, Christopher Newport was able to overcome a late deficit in the fifth frame to hold on for the five-set victory.
 
In addition to her 25 kills and 15 digs, McIntyre converted 43 of her 44 reception attempts to help anchor a solid effort by CNU's serve-receive unit. Lucernoni also chipped in with nine digs to go along with her two aces, while Rock contributed six kills and three blocks.
 
Christopher Newport will return to action on Thursday at 7 p.m. with the CAC Semifinals. The Captains will host the winner of the St. Mary's - Marymount first-round battle at the Freeman Center.
 
---CNU---