NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The fourth-ranked Christopher Newport volleyball team will welcome Frostburg State and Washington & Lee to town for a tri-match beginning at 11 a.m. on Saturday at the Freeman Center.
The Captains, who are riding a four-match winning streak, will kick things off on Saturday with a Capital Athletic Conference battle against Frostburg State at 11 a.m. Later in the day, CNU will head back out on the court for a 3 p.m. non-conference showdown with Washington & Lee.
Overall, Christopher Newport enters Saturday with a 16-2 record, including a 2-0 mark in league action. Frostburg State sits at 10-12 with an 0-2 record in the CAC, while Washington & Lee is 10-7 on the season.
For those fans unable to make it to the Freeman Center, a video stream of the Captains' matches will be broadcast on CNUsports.com/live. Additionally, live stats will be available for the evening match against Washington & Lee.
A LOOK AT THE CAPTAINS So far this season, Christopher Newport has displayed an efficient offensive attack, which leads the CAC and ranks among the top-10 nationally with a .257 hitting percentage. The team also stands among the national leaders and ranks first in the conference with a 13.60 kills-per-set average. On an individual level,
Rachel Conway is seventh in the NCAA with a 10.89 assists-per-set mark, while
Briana Sutton is averaging 4.34 kills per frame, which places her ninth in the country.
Also ranked among the conference leaders,
Ashley Rock is fourth in the CAC with a 0.94 blocks-per-set rate, while
Hannah Miller is fourth with a .315 hitting percentage.
Rachel Close has been a steady presence on the back row as well, sitting eighth in the league with a 3.65 digs-per-set mark.
LAST TIME OUT On Wednesday, the Captains improved to 2-0 in the conference after toppling Salisbury, 3-1. In a rematch of last year's CAC Championship bout, Miller pumped 17 kills and hit .333.
Maddie McCann also unleashed 11 kills, while Sutton collected a career-high 19 digs. Along the net, Conway, Miller, Rock, and McCann all posted a pair of blocks to help limit the Sea Gulls to a .169 hitting percentage.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION Frostburg State enters Saturday after dropping its last four decisions, including a 3-1 setback at Marymount on Wednesday. Throughout the year, the Bobcats have been led by Naya Cheathem, who ranks second in the CAC with a 4.41 kills-per-set average. Madelyn Torres has also been strong this season, registering a 9.76 assists-per-set mark. On the defensive side, Jessica Bugtong and Sabrina Roberts are tied for the team-lead with 40 blocks apiece, while Lindsey Scepura is averaging 5.17 digs per frame.
Washington & Lee will be taking on the Captains for the second time this season after dropping a 3-0 decision in Lexington on September 26. Impressive when they're away from their cozy confines, the Generals sport a 6-1 road record so far this year. Anna Lausberg has been W&L's top offensive threat with 244 kills, while Elena West has dished out 564 assists. Meanwhile, Katie Volk is averaging 4.43 digs per set, and Mackenzie Shand has 57 blocks, including 25 solo stops.
SERIES HISTORY Frostburg State and CNU have battled six times with the Bobcats holding a 4-2 lead in the series. The Captains won the last meeting with a 3-0 victory in 2014. During that match, Miller posted a team-high 13 kills and three blocks against FSU.
Washington & Lee and Christopher Newport have met 29 times with the Captains holding a 15-14 edge in the series. During their match-up last month, Sutton pumped 20 kills, while
Abby McIntyre added nine to go along with 10 digs.
UP NEXT Following Saturday's tri-match, Christopher Newport will remain at home for a CAC showdown with Mary Washington on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
---CNU---
