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HOBOKEN, N.J. -- After climbing into the AVCA National Coaches Poll for the first time this season, the 24th-ranked Christopher Newport volleyball team will head to New Jersey for the two-day Ducks Classic beginning on Friday at Stevens' Canavan Arena.
 
Action gets underway with a 4 p.m. battle against NYU on Friday before the Captains face an 8 p.m. test against Arcadia. On Saturday, CNU will square off with Stevens at 11 a.m. before matching up with No. 19 Eastern in a top-25 showdown at 1 p.m.
 
Entering the tournament, Christopher Newport currently boasts a 6-1 record. All six of the squad's victories have been perfect 3-0 triumphs, while the team's only setback came in a grueling five-set affair at No. 3 Southwestern last weekend.
 
So far this season, sophomore Katie Piper ranks third in the Capital Athletic Conference with a 3.57 kills-per-set average. The second-year star was honored as the MVP of the Captains Classic and also earned a spot on the Southwestern All-Tournament Team. Meanwhile, freshman Megan O'Hara is second in the league with a .324 hitting percentage, and Riley Garrison leads the conference with a 1.53 blocks-per-set average.
 
Along with the squad's top performers along the net, Josie Lucernoni has pocketed 4.42 digs per set, which places her fifth in the league. The junior has at least 10 digs in each of her past four appearances, including a 26-dig masterpiece against No. 3 Southwestern. Katie Crofford has also been effective on the defensive side of the ball, compiling a team-best .975 reception percentage.
 
NYU comes into the tournament with a 3-6 record, including a pair of triumphs during last week's Cougars Classic. Caroline Rapp has punched a team-high 88 kills for the Violets, while Rayne Ellis has a .254 hitting percentage and a 2.47 kills-per-set average. Meanwhile, Nazzerine Waldon has anchored the back row with a 4.36 digs-per-set mark.
 
Arcadia enters the tournament on a five-match tear and currently sits at 5-1 overall. The Knights have dropped just one set since a 3-1 loss at Gettysburg to open the season. Lauren Enfield leads AU with 45 kills, while Becca Campf sports a .397 hitting percentage and a 1.94 kills-per-set mark. Along with the stars up front, Julia Paliwodzinski is averaging six assists per set, and Emily Eng has plucked a team-high 78 digs this year.
 
Stevens has been equally hot lately, winning six straight matches while compiling an 8-2 overall record. The Ducks also earned votes in the latest AVCA National Coaches Poll. Currently, Stevens ranks in the top-20 nationally in kills, assists, and blocks. Casey King and Taleen Mitchell have registered over 100 kills apiece, while Shelby Stewart has a team-high 43 rejections. Additionally, Julie Greco is averaging 9.59 assists per set, and Sydni Horner has stabilized the back row with a 5.53 digs-per-set mark.
 
Perennial power Eastern is coming off of a run to the Elite Eight last year. So far this season, the Eagles have pieced together a 7-2 record, including three straight victories. Caroline Shelby has been at the forefront of EU's attack with a 4.53 kills-per-set average. Morgan Kline and Kylie McCusker have split the setting duties and are both averaging over six assists per frame, while Miranda Kauffman has tallied a team-high 112 digs.
 
Arcadia will be battling the Captains for the first time in program history, while CNU holds a 2-0 record all-time against Stevens and a 1-0 mark against NYU. Continuing their recent rivalry, Christopher Newport and Eastern have met nine times with the Captains holding a 5-4 edge in the series.
 
Following this weekend's tournament, CNU will return to action on September 20 with a 7 p.m. bout at Bridgewater.
 
---CNU---