NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Kicking off the 2016 campaign in fine fashion, the 11th-ranked Christopher Newport volleyball team swept its doubleheader on Friday as CNU rolled past Lawrence, 3-0 (25-14, 25-22, 25-18), before toppling Stevenson, 3-1 (24-26, 25-18, 25-20, 25-18), on the first day of the Captains Classic at the Freeman Center.
 
Grinding out the two victories, the Captains received some huge contributions from its freshman class. Setter Hope Webb played well beyond her years as the first-year standout averaged 11.29 assists-per-set during the two contests, including 44 helpers in the nightcap. That total equaled the sixth-highest single-match total by a freshman in program history.
 
Equally impressive, Riley Garrison hit .519 during the two matches while stuffing the stat sheet with 16 kills, five blocks, and three aces. Katie Piper also drilled 19 kills, including a team-high 11 in her collegiate debut against Lawrence.
 
The veteran contingent was led by Rachel Close, who pocketed 42 digs, including 24 against Stevenson. She also was a perfect 16-for-16 on serve-receive. Meanwhile, Hannah Miller frustrated the opposition all day with 14 blocks, while Maddie McCann smacked a team-high 24 kills.
 
Overall, the airtight CNU defense limited the opposition to an .085 hitting percentage while registering 19 total blocks.
 
Kicking things off against Lawrence in the opener, Piper got the fun started with two quick kills, while Katelyn Newsome teamed with Garrison and Miller on a pair of rejections to help snatch a 10-5 edge heading into an LU timeout. Shortly after the stoppage, Webb showed off her athleticism as she scrambled to the near sideline to corral an errant pass before launching a pinpoint back-set across the court to Piper, who capped off the play with a rocket to kick off a late-set surge.
 
Following the acrobatic play, Katie Crofford blistered a serve that resulted in a free ball. Later, she flipped a pristine pass to Webb, who found McCann for the kill to snatch a 19-12 lead. Shortly thereafter, Garrison punished an LU defender with a screaming liner before McCann showed off some finesse with a push to the back corner to earn set-point at 24-14. One rally later, Miller hammered a rope off a Viking that ricocheted into the bench and locked up the 25-14 victory.
 
Although Lawrence fought back in the second set and stole a modest 7-4 advantage, the Captains ramped up their attack. McCann punched a pair of kills during the middle of the set, including one that destroyed an LU block attempt. Later, Miller added three rejections and Garrison tooled another kill off the Lawrence front line to secure an 18-12 edge.
 
Despite a late rally by the Vikings, which pulled the visitors back within one at 20-19, Christopher Newport was undeterred. Miller was a beast late in the frame with a block and bullet, while Piper added a dart of her own before an LU error handed CNU a 25-22 victory.
 
The third frame was a seesaw affair early before the Captains got their bearings in the middle of the stanza. Webb laced an ace and kill during a four-point run, while Garrison threw back an overpass with a thunderous shot. Moments later, Crofford launched an ace to help push the lead to 16-11 entering a Lawrence timeout.
 
Following the break, Miller drove home a quick hitter, while McCann trucked the block with another bruising shot to nail down a 20-15 lead. Looking to put it away, the freshmen took over. Piper popped two late kills, while Garrison drilled a burner off a back-row defender to ice the match with a 25-18 victory in the third.
 
Along with Piper's 11 kills against the Vikings, McCann added nine and Newsome punched eight. Garrison was also efficient with seven bullets on 13 swings. Meanwhile, on the defensive side, Miller registered six blocks, Close snagged 18 digs, and Crofford and Evelyn Harper combined to go 26-for-26 on serve-receive.
 
With one win in the bag, the Captains returned to the court later in the evening with a showdown against Stevenson, who advanced to the NCAA Tournament last year and returned most of its starting lineup. Facing an experienced opponent, Christopher Newport used some tough defense to keep the Mustangs in-check in the early going. Close flahsed her wheels with a diving save off a tough attack that led to a kill by McCann before Miller built a wall along the net in the middle of the frame. The senior sensation rejected back-to-back shots along both pins, which led to a Stevenson timeout.
 
Staring at a modest 15-13 deficit, the Captains fought back after the stoppage. Showing off her offensive skills as well, Miller lit up a defender with a bruising shot to the face before unleashing another rocket that eventually ricocheted off the scoreboard for a kill. Josie Lucernoni also pumped an ace to help the squad flip the script and grab a 16-15 edge.
 
Unfortunately, things began to go awry after that point. Although Piper lined two late kills and McCann spun a roller off the tape that dribbled into open territory, Stevenson got its bearings and rebounded. The Mustangs eventually battled back from a 21-19 deficit and escaped the opening frame with a 26-24 victory.
 
After their first stumble of the season, the Captains retaliated. Getting the squad on the board, Webb went backside with another gorgeous set that Newsome deposited into the heart of the SU defense. Continuing her strong play, the freshman setter joined forces with Miller on a block, added five other assists, and spun two straight aces, which gave the hosts a 13-9 advantage following a Stevenson timeout.
 
Continuing to run, Newsome pounded a shot that was kept alive by the Stevenson defense before showing off a gentle touch with a delicate tip that earned CNU a 15-11 lead. Moments later, after a little miscommunication on the court, McCann saved a tough play by elevating over the back of Garrison to drill a circus kill through the Mustang defense.
 
With things going their way, the Captains continued to stretch their lead. McCann came back to abuse another block attempt before Harper smashed an ace and Miller added a block to earn set-point at 24-17. Although Miller appeared to have the set won with a kill on the next rally, the referees called a violation to keep the frame alive. Unfazed, Miller simply finished off what she started with a screamer down the line to lock up the 25-18 triumph.
 
Back on even ground, the two squads traded blows in the third set before CNU pieced together a nice rally in the middle of the frame. McCann flashed her muscle with two kills, including a spinner through a double block along the far pin, which led to a timeout. Following the break, Garrison exploded with two straight aces to nail down an 18-12 lead, which forced Stevenson to call another timeout.
 
The second stoppage paid dividends as the Mustangs battled back to tie the set at 18, but Christopher Newport simply took off again. McCann and Miller chipped in with kills and teamed up on a block before Webb slammed home a dump along the net to nail down set-point at 24-20. One rally later, Miller rolled the block for the winner to clinch the 25-20 victory.
 
In the fourth, the Captains carved out a nice lead in the early going. Webb tried to drop in a behind-the-back floater, but her initial attempt was kept alive. Refusing to go down quietly, she simply rocketed a shot the other way on her next attempt while leading the team to a 9-5 edge. Later, McCann came through with two kills and Garrison spun another ace off a back-row defender to grab a 16-11 advantage.
 
Moments later, CNU effectively put the match out-of-reach. Miller led the charge as the All-American notched two kills and a pair of blocks, while Harper cranked an ace to grab a 23-13 lead. Although Stevenson pivoted and managed to make things interesting with a minor four-point run, the Captains whistled for a timeout and regrouped.
 
Following the break, a Mustang miscue gave CNU match-point before Garrison put the final exclamation point on the contest. Off a feed from Webb, she burned a hole through the defense with one final dagger to nail down the win with a 25-18 victory in the fourth and final frame.
 
McCann finished the contest with a team-high 15 kills against the Mustangs, while Miller added 12 and eight blocks. Garrison continued to show off an efficient touch with nine kills on 14 swings. Meanwhile, Close added 24 digs, Lucernoni pocketed 10, and Crofford finished with nine to go along with an 18-for-19 effort on serve-receive.
 
Christopher Newport will return to action on Saturday when the squad caps off the two-day Captains Classic with a noon showdown with Wisconsin-Patteville and a 4 p.m. bout with UMass Boston.
 
--MAKAHA--