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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The 25th-ranked Christopher Newport volleyball team will continue postseason play on Thursday at 7 p.m. when the Captains host York (Pa.) in the Capital Athletic Conference semifinals at the Freeman Center.
                      
CNU punched its ticket to the semifinals with a 3-0 win over Penn St. Harrisburg on Tuesday. Meanwhile, York (Pa.) advanced with a five-set victory against Frostburg State. Entering Thursday's clash, the Captains sit at 23-5 on the season, while York (Pa.) is 20-8 overall.
 
Tickets for Thursday's match will be $5 for adults and $3 for students and children. CNU students will be admitted free with their student ID. Additionally, for those fans unable to attend the match, Christopher Newport will provide live stats at CNUsports.com. There will also be a broadcast of the action with Austin Urch on the call. Direct links to both features can be found at the top of this release and on the CNU schedule page.
 
Excelling on their home court, the Captains are 15-2 in the Freeman Center this season. On an individual level, Megan O'Hara has starred in Newport News. The sophomore is averaging 2.42 kills per set while boasting a .282 hitting percentage in home bouts. Abby Oren also sports a .280 hitting percentage in the Freeman Center this year, while the team as a whole has a .236 mark.
 
Overall this season, Christopher Newport has capitalized on an outstanding performance along the net. The squad ranks 13th in the nation in blocks per set (2.19) and 12th in total rejections (225.5). Five of those stops came during the first round of the CAC Tournament on Tuesday as Kellyn DeChirico assisted on all five rejections, while Katie Piper had a hand in a pair. Meanwhile, Riley Garrison is seventh in the NCAA in total blocks (113) and 11th in blocking average (1.14 per set).
 
Meanwhile, on the offensive side, CNU leads the CAC with a .225 hitting percentage. The team's 12.28 kills-per-set average also ranks first in the Capital. Among the standouts up front, Garrison is third in the CAC with a .283 hitting percentage, and Piper stands fifth with 270 total kills.
 
On the other side, York (Pa.) is riding a three-match roll and has won eight of its last nine bouts. On an individual level, the Spartans have been carried by Madyson Whitcomb. The junior leads the conference and ranks eighth in the NCAA with a .400 hitting percentage. Incredibly, during the squad's winning streak, she is hitting .581 while averaging 2.57 kills per frame.
 
Along with Whitcomb, Brooke Krebs is fourth in the CAC with a 2.78 kills-per-set average this season, and Alexis Harbold boasts a league-best 5.70 digs-per-set mark. Excelling in all facets of the game, Gabby Emeigh has launched 49 aces as well, which places her third among conference competitors. Her 11 winners against league foes also rank first in the Capital.
 
Christopher Newport and York (Pa.) last met on September 22 in Newport News with the Captains securing a 3-0 victory. Piper popped 15 kills and pocketed 14 digs during that contest, while Oren unleashed 10 kills. York was led by Harbold, who secured a match-high 26 digs. Krebs and Whitcomb hammered eight kills apiece as well.
 
Overall, CNU and York have met seven times with the Captains holding a perfect 7-0 record in the series. The two teams last met in the postseason during the 2016 CAC Tournament. Christopher Newport registered a 3-0 triumph during the first-round match-up that year.
 
The winner of Thursday's game will advance to the CAC Championship on Saturday for a showdown with the survivor of the #1 Mary Washington - #5 Salisbury semifinal match. The highest remaining seed will host the title bout.
 
---CNU---