Live Stats // Video Stream
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The sixth-ranked Christopher Newport volleyball team will battle Salisbury for the Capital Athletic Conference championship on Saturday at 4 p.m. when the Captains host the Sea Gulls in the title bout at the Freeman Center.
Saturday's match pits two of the hottest teams in the nation against one another. Entering the contest, CNU boasts a 28-2 record, including a 16-match winning streak that stands as the seventh-longest active run in the nation. Meanwhile, Salisbury sits at 24-7 on the year and has won 10 straight tilts, which ranks 10th among active winning streaks.
The Captains and Sea Gulls are certainly familiar with each other in championship action. Saturday's battle marks the third straight season during which CNU and Salisbury have faced off for the CAC crown.
For those fans unable to make it to the match, live stats and a video stream will be available at CNUsports.com. Direct links to both features can be found at the top of this release and on the CNU schedule page.
A LOOK AT THE CAPTAINS Christopher Newport comes into the championship match ranked first in the CAC and sixth in the NCAA with a .261 hitting percentage.
Hannah Miller has helped carry CNU's efficient attack in recent weeks as the reigning first-team All-American has pieced together an impressive run. Over the last six weeks, she leads the team with a .334 hitting percentage and 176 kills.
Also stepping up late in the season,
Abby McIntyre has been electric on the outside. The senior has put together back-to-back 20-kill efforts, including 23 in the CAC semifinals on Thursday. Just as effective on the defensive end, she has pocketed at least 10 digs in five of her last seven appearances.
Steady throughout the year,
Rachel Conway leads the Capital with a 10.73 assists-per-set average, which also places her 10th in the NCAA. Fellow senior
Ashley Rock also sits third in the CAC with a 0.90 blocks-per-set average, while
Rachel Close has kept the court clean with a team-high 408 digs.
LAST TIME OUT On Thursday, Christopher Newport advanced to the championship match with a 3-2 victory over St. Mary's in the semifinals. McIntyre led all players with 23 kills, while
Maddie McCann was equally effective on the outside. The junior pumped 16 kills and hit .333 against the Seahawks. Meanwhile, Miller led the squad's defensive efforts with seven blocks, while Rock and
Katelyn Newsome helped out on six rejections apiece.
SCOUTING THE SEA GULLS Salisbury reached the title bout after upending Mary Washington, 3-1, on Thursday. Against the Eagles, Katie Stouffer launched a match-high 21 kills, which bumped her season total to 529. That stands fourth in the country. Rachel Pierson also dished out 43 assists during the semifinal action, while Kelly Surkovich added 25 digs. Pierson currently stands third in the CAC with a 9.67 assists-per-set average, while Shannon Russell is second in the league with 50 aces. As a team, SU has 265 aces this year, which leads the conference.
SERIES HISTORY Salisbury and CNU have met 30 times with the Captains holding a 17-13 lead in the series. Earlier this year, Christopher Newport posted a 3-1 victory over the Sea Gulls at the Freeman Center. During the match, Miller led the hosts with 17 kills, while McCann contributed 11. SU was paced by Stouffer, who had 17 kills and hit .395.
UP NEXT The winner of Saturday's match will earn the CAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The regional championships will begin on November 13.
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