NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- After extending its winning streak to 10 matches earlier in the day, the third-ranked Christopher Newport volleyball team fell just short in its bid for an 11th straight victory as the Captains fell to No. 4 Juniata, 3-2 (25-11, 25-22, 22-25, 24-26, 15-8) after opening the CNU Invitational by topping Averett, 3-0 (25-14, 25-14, 25-23), in front of a packed house on Friday at the Freeman Center.
 
During the two matches, Briana Sutton plastered the opposition with 31 kills, including 21 in the nightcap against Juniata. The third-year standout finished the day with a .414 hitting percentage and added seven digs and a pair of blocks for good measure.
 
Along with Sutton, Hannah Miller collected 16 kills during the two matches, while Maddie McCann added 15. Defensively, Ashley Rock led the way along the net with seven blocks, and Rachel Close chipped in with a team-high 25 digs on the back row.
 
With the split, Christopher Newport now stands at 10-1 on the season. The victory bumps Juniata to 9-0 on the year, while Averett sits at 8-5.
 
Following a victory over the Cougars in the opener on Friday, the Captains went back to work against Juniata in an epic showdown between a pair of top-five programs. Facing a well-rested opponent, CNU struggled out of the gate as Juniata jumped on the hosts quickly while piecing together a 13-7 lead. In a sign of things to come, Christopher Newport never gave up and orchestrated a highlight-reel rally.
 
Staring at a tough deficit, Abby McIntyre made an incredible diving dig to keep a ball up. Although the shot ricocheted towards the stands, Close chased it into the seats with a miraculous play to give the squad hope. Following a free ball, CNU benefited from the hustle as Rachel Conway dished to Sutton, who hammered home a rocket to pull the squad within seven at 16-9.
 
Unfortunately, Juniata shook off the momentary setback and quickly eased into a 25-11 victory in the opening frame.
 
Needing a response, Christopher Newport shot out to an 8-3 lead in the second behind three quick kills by Sutton, including a well-placed teardrop off a pass from Conway. Shortly thereafter, Rock ripped an ace, Miller came through with a block and blast, and McCann punched a shot off the block to keep a 14-10 edge.
 
Although CNU had the momentum, Juniata quickly stole it back as the visitors stormed ahead and secured a 19-17 edge before CNU whistled for a timeout. Following the break, McCann kept the Captains in the match with two late kills, but the Eagles continued to inch ahead and eventually pulled out a 25-22 victory.
 
After rallying from a two-set deficit in their last meeting, the Captains hoped for a little déjà vu. Sending a message early, Sutton tattooed a back-row defender with a bruising bullet before Close clocked an ace and Rock hammered home a kill on the way to a 7-4 edge. Although the Eagles rallied and managed to pull away for a brief moment at 12-8, CNU reeled them back in.
 
Miller took control in the middle of the stanza as she crushed four kills, including a dagger off the head of a blocker, to pull within one at 16-15. On the very next rally, Rock rose up and slammed the door on a Juniata attack attempt with a back-breaking solo block to force a timeout. Unfazed by the stoppage, Close continued the surge with two straight aces before Conway chipped in with a kill to secure a 19-17 lead.
 
Once again, the Eagles responded and managed to pull even at 22, but Christopher Newport abused the block after that point. First, McCann lined a laser through a pair of defenders before Miller tipped a kill over their out-stretched arms to grab set-point at 24-22. On the next rally, a Juniata miscue gave the Captains new life with a 25-22 victory.
 
Hoping to close the door on CNU, Juniata pulled out to a 12-9 lead in the fourth, but the hosts never gave up. McCann hit the Eagles with a roll shot before Conway slammed home a gorgeous, behind-the-back kill to pull the squad within one at 13-12. Later, Sutton toyed with the defense as she dropped in four kills during an eight-rally stretch, which forced the visitors to call a pair of timeouts and gave CNU a 20-15 lead.
 
Unrelenting, Juniata answered again and managed to pull even at 23, but the Captains fought back. After trading the next two rallies, Sutton fired a rocket off the block before teaming with Rock on a rejection to take the fourth, 26-24.
 
Fittingly, in the fateful fifth set, the two teams engaged in a seesaw affair early on. Sutton rocketed three kills and Conway smacked an ace on the way to a 6-6 deadlock. Unfortunately, things quickly went awry after that point.
 
The Eagles, who gave the Captains fits on serve-receive all night, went to work again. The visitors smacked four aces during a six-rally stretch to take a 12-6 lead. With the game slipping away, CNU benefitted from a pair of Juniata miscues, but the visitors regrouped in a timeout. Following the stoppage, the Eagles fired their 18th ace of the match before a block sealed the 15-8 victory.
 
Along with Sutton's 21 kills, which equaled a career-high, Miller pumped 11 and McCann added 10 against the Eagles. Meanwhile, on the defensive end, Close and Evelyn Harper tied for the team-lead with 13 digs, and McIntyre added 10. Conway finished with 38 assists as well.
 
Prior to the grueling nightcap, the Captains faced a familiar foe in Friday's opener as the squad took on former USA South rival Averett. Getting things started, Sutton blasted the Cougars with two early kills, while Close spun an ace and Rock added a block and blast to snare a quick 8-4 advantage. Although the visitors battled back and pulled within one, CNU had a stunning response. Close snapped off another wicked serve that forced an AU free ball, which Rock quickly deposited for a kill to grab a 12-9 lead heading into an Averett timeout.
 
Following the break, Rock continued to roll with another kill and block to push the lead to 15-9. After the Cougars stole a rally, CNU put the set away. Highlighting a six-point run, Conway rose up for an acrobatic save off a tough deflection and punched the ball to Rock, who pushed it the other way for a perfectly-placed kill. Two rallies later, Conway drilled an ace to the back corner, which helped lock up a 21-10 lead. With more than enough cushion, Eliza Fisher roped a kill before a string of AU errors sealed the first set, 25-14.
 
In the second stanza, Sutton jumpstarted an early surge with two quick kills, including a dart with her left hand, to take a 6-2 edge. Following a short back-and-forth battle, the Captains took control behind strong play up front and a lethal attack at the service line. Tessa Klimaitis registered a pair of blocks, while Conway and McIntyre stung aces to push the edge to 17-10.
 
With a comfortable advantage, Klimaitis closed out one of the most economical sets in CNU history. Touching the ball six times during the frame, the freshman finished the stanza with three blocks and three kills, including a dagger to take a 21-12 lead. During the run, the defense also looked sharp as Harper cleaned up with a diving dig, while McCann made a spectacular save along the net to keep another rally alive.
 
Shortly thereafter, Harper unleashed a late ace, while Miller ripped two kills, including the clincher off a feed from Tylar McGill, to seal the 25-14 victory.
 
In the third, the two squads traded blows early in the stanza as Rock pumped an ace, while Katelyn Newsome laid in a floater on the way to a modest 7-5 lead. Unfortunately, the Cougars clawed back and eventually secured a 14-11 advantage to put the Captains on their heels. Needing a spark, Madi Wickens provided some life as she assisted on a shot by McCann and slammed home an ace on back-to-back rallies to help pull even at 14.
 
Although Averett inched out to another lead, CNU pieced together one final push. Newsome got things rolling with a kill before a tough serve by Josie Lucernoni got the Cougars off-balance, which led to an overpass kill by Conway. Later, McIntyre dropped in a kill and ace, while Sutton and Newsome joined forces on a block along the far pin to take a 21-19 lead. Looking to close things out, Sutton ripped her 10th kill of the match before three AU errors handed the Captains a 25-23 victory.
 
Along with Sutton's 10 kills, Miller chipped in with five on just seven swings, while Rock also added five to go along with four blocks. On the back row, Close collected a match-high 12 digs, while Harper added six.
 
Christopher Newport will wrap up the CNU Invitational on Saturday with another doubleheader. The Captains will take on DeSales at noon before battling Bethany at 4 p.m.
 
---CNU---