LIVE STATS // VIDEO STREAM

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The sixth-ranked Christopher Newport volleyball team will host its annual Captains Classic beginning on Friday at the Freeman Center as CNU kicks off the two-day tournament with a twin bill against Meredith at 4 p.m. and Susquehanna at 8 p.m.

In addition to their matches against Meredith and Susquehanna, the Captains will also face a doubleheader on Saturday. On the final day of the tournament, CNU will open up against Hiram at noon before closing things out with a 4 p.m. battle against Bridgewater.

For those fans unable to make it to the Freeman Center, live stats and a video stream will be available for all of Christopher Newport's matches. Direct links to both features can be found at the top of this release and on the CNU schedule page.

Christopher Newport enters Friday with a 1-0 record after toppling Virginia Wesleyan, 3-0, in the season opener on Tuesday. Along with the Captains, Susquehanna boasts a spotless 2-0 mark, while Meredith is 1-0 on the season. Neither Bridgewater nor Hiram have seen action in 2015.

A LOOK AT THE CAPTAINS

Entering the year ranked sixth in the nation, CNU made an impressive statement in its first contest with a three-set sweep against Virginia Wesleyan at the Freeman Center on Tuesday. During the match, Briana Sutton blasted 12 kills and five aces while hitting at a .522 clip. Maddie McCann also clubbed eight kills, and Ashley Rock chimed in with seven. Combined, the three standouts peppered the Marlins with 27 kills without committing a single attack error.

Overall, the Captains hit .405 as a team against VWC and limited the opposition to a .054 mark. Defensively, Rock and Hannah Miller both contributed three blocks apiece, while Abby McIntyre chipped in with a team-high nine digs.

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION

Bridgewater is coming off of a 9-21 campaign in 2014 and was selected seventh in the ODAC Preseason Coaches Poll. The Eagles graduated only one senior from last year's squad and feature nine returners, including Abby Mills and Carleigh Studtmann. Mills ranked second on the 2014 team with 276 kills, while Studtmann led the way defensively with 60 blocks.

Hiram posted a 24-7 record last season while finishing third in the NCAC Tournament. Nine Terriers return from the 2014 roster, including senior Lindsay Brewer. During her junior campaign, Brewer earned honorable mention All-American accolades while posting 443 kills and a .362 hitting percentage. Marissa Jay also was an All-NCAC honoree last year after registering 244 kills.

Meredith comes into Friday with a 1-0 record after defeating St. Andrews, 3-1, on Tuesday. Picked as the Preseason Favorites in the North Division of the USA South Athletic Conference, the Avenging Angels boast an experienced roster, featuring All-American Karlie Long and senior standouts Jasmine Aguinaldo and Emily Hendricks. Long, who crushed 471 kills in 2014, led the team with 15 blasts in the season opener on Tuesday.

Susquehanna already boasts a 2-0 record entering Friday after sweeping Lycoming and Alvernia in a doubleheader on Tuesday. Coming off of a 30-9 campaign last year, the Crusaders were picked second in the Landmark Preseason Coaches Poll, slotting in just behind perennial power Juniata. In the twin bill on Tuesday, Morgan Whiteman unloaded 32 kills and hit .455, while Sarah Paluck collected 26 digs. Both standouts were All-Conference selections last year.

SERIES HISTORY

Bridgewater and CNU have battled 16 teams with BC holding a 10-6 lead in the all-time series. However, the Captains have won the last four meetings, including a 3-0 triumph during last year's Captains Classic.

Hiram will be battling the Captains for the first time in program history on Saturday.

Meredith and CNU were long-time rivals in the USA South and have met 22 times with Christopher Newport holding a 21-1 lead in the all-time series. The two programs last met in 2013 at the Washington & Lee Invitational with the Captains pulling out a 3-0 victory.

Susquehanna has only faced CNU once with the Captains snatching a 3-0 victory during the 2007 CNU Invitational at the Freeman Center.

WE'LL BE "CNU" SOON

Following the Captains Classic, Christopher Newport will hit the road for the Beacons Invitational in Boston beginning on September 11. The Captains will open up against St. Benedict and UMass Boston on Friday before squaring off with Tufts and No. 12 Eastern on Saturday.

---CNU---