NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The Christopher Newport women's tennis team, ranked No. 8 in the Atlantic South Region, will wrap up its taxing seven-match road trip this weekend, taking on Division I Radford University before kicking off the Capital Athletic Conference season against Southern Virginia. The Captains (7-3) take on the Highlanders on Friday at 2:00 pm and travel to Buena Vista, Va. for a 10:00 am tilt against the Knights on Saturday morning.

CNU is taking the court for the first time in two weeks after a five-match spring break trip to California that saw the women cap their cross-country venture with a 6-3 win over Whittier College, who was ranked nationally in the preseason. The Captains won six of their first seven matches to start the season and have climbed in the regional rankings from 15th to 8th. 

The team, which is filled with only freshmen and sophomores in 2015, has been dominant in doubles play so far this season, driven by the sensational start of the No. 3 tandem of Alexandra Drye and Logan Eldridge. The Captains No. 3 pairing has started the year 9-1 in duals on top of a 2-1 tournament start in the fall, compiling 11 total wins so far this year. As a team, the Captains have won two-thirds of their total doubles matches this fall, providing a boost at the start of matches. 

In singles, sophomores Katie Carlson and Eldridge are tied with rookie Kate Huck for the team lead with seven wins in the first 10 matches this spring. Rookie McKinney Harwood has also impressed playing at the No. 1 spot, posting five wins including one against a regionally-ranked individual. 

Full scores and recaps of both matches will be available at CNUsports.com following the action.