BRIDGEWATER, Va. -- Capitalizing on a well-balanced attack, featuring electric efforts by Katie Crofford and Kellyn DeChirico, the 24th-ranked Christopher Newport volleyball team rolled past Bridgewater, 3-0 (25-16, 25-17, 25-16), during a non-conference battle on Wednesday evening at Nininger Hall.
 
DeChirico was nearly flawless in the first two sets and eventually finished the match with seven kills on just 13 swings. Meanwhile, Crofford pummeled a team-high 11 kills without a single attack error. The second-year standout also corralled 11 digs for her second straight double-double.
 
Equally effective along the front row, Abby Oren and Katelyn Newsome also dropped in seven kills apiece. Along with their offensive efforts, Oren picked up nine digs, while Newsome registered a pair of blocks. Riley Garrison and Megan O'Hara each contributed six rejections as well, helping CNU limit Bridgewater to a .117 hitting percentage.
 
With the victory, Christopher Newport improves to 10-2 on the season. The setback drops Bridgewater to 11-2 overall.
 
In the opening frame, the Captains hit the ground running and grabbed an imposing 12-3 advantage. DeChirico led the early surge with kills on her first three swings, including a rocket off a block attempt and a tip over BC's front row. Josie Lucernoni also snapped off an ace that eventually deflected into the stands, while Newsome and Oren teamed up for two kills and a block to earn the nine-point lead.
 
Although the Eagles managed to cut their deficit down to five for a brief moment, CNU remained in control. DeChirico connected again with a blast towards the back corner, and O'Hara smashed a cross-court dart. Later, O'Hara and Garrison built a wall along the far pin before Tiaralyn McBride laced a serve that was mishandled by the hosts and dropped into open spaces to lock up the 25-16 triumph.
 
Kicking off the second set with a bang, Oren smacked a pair of early kills, including a back-row bullet and an off-speed tip over the block. Tylar McGill also dumped in a kill, while DeChirico whistled a winner from the far side to help snatch a 9-6 lead. Although Bridgewater kept the deficit at three until 16-13, Christopher Newport pieced together a late-set push to run away with another victory.
 
Looking for some breathing room, Crofford tattooed an Eagle with a kill before Oren and Garrison unloaded back-to-back lasers off diving defenders. Still rolling, Hope Webb handcuffed a defensive specialist with a wicked serve to earn set-point at 24-17. Following a BC timeout, Garrison and O'Hara teamed up along the far pin on the very next rally to brush aside a Bridgewater attack attempt for the clinching block.
 
Leading by two sets, Newsome erupted in the third stanza to put the match away. The senior was nearly unstoppable in the final frame as she torched the opposition with an endless string of early kills. Showing off her diverse skill set, she hammered an overpass, tipped a floater over the block, and blistered a back-row defender while stringing together five early kills to help grab a 10-4 lead.
 
With a comfortable advantage, Crofford took over in the middle of the set and chipped in with three winners of her own, including a back-row rocket and another tip over a block attempt. Oren also added two late kills, and McBride showed off her skills from the service line again with an ace to snatch a healthy 23-14 edge.
 
Looking to close things out quickly, Crofford put the final punctuation mark on the contest. The sophomore decked a kill to earn match-point before gently tapping an overpass into open spaces to ice the 25-16 triumph.
 
Helping keep the hitters happy, McGill handed out 21 assists during the contest, while Webb dished out 14. Meanwhile, on the back row, Lucernoni collected a team-high 15 digs for her ninth straight double-digit outing.
 
Christopher Newport will return to action on Friday when the Captains open up the CNU Invitational with a 7 p.m. showdown against No. 9 Juniata.
 
---CNU---