NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The 24th-ranked Christopher Newport women's tennis team will open postseason play on Tuesday, May 1 as they welcome in third-seeded Salisbury University to the James T. and Sarah C. Eyre Courts for a 3:30 pm start. The second-seeded Captains (12-5) will look to upend Salisbury in the Capital Athletic Conference semifinals for the fourth straight season as the two teams have met in the conference final four each of the last five years. 

Live stats will be available for the action at the Eyre Courts. The link can be found on the tennis schedule at CNUsports.com or by clicking here.

This season, the Captains earned their first round bye in the CAC Tournament with a 6-1 record in conference play. The team is anchored by eight seniors in their final campaign, along with the stout play of sophomore leader Johanna Ranta-aho. Ranta-aho comes into the Tuesday afternoon match riding a win streak of 13 straight singles bouts while improving to 38-10 all-time for the Captains. She is also 12-5 in doubles play this season, helping the Captains post a winning percentage of .667 in tandem play this year. 

In duals, the Captains are 34-17 in doubles play this season with Ranta-aho going 9-3 at No. 2 with three different partners. Senior Emily Morgan has eight wins in doubles play, including seven with senior teammate Isabelle Wessel. Wessel and fellow senior Kate Huck rank second on the team with 10 wins in duals this season. 

In singles action, CNU has featured a flexible lineup with five starters having played on at least three different lines this season. Senior Meili Konell has been one of the top options in dual play and ranks second on the team with 10 wins, spread across five different positions. She is 3-0 combined at Nos. 2 and 3. 

Salisbury enters the Tuesday matchup with a 15-6 overall mark and a 5-2 record in conference play. The Sea Gulls have won three straight and three of their six losses have come to nationally-ranked opponents. In the regular season bout between the Captains and Sea Gulls, CNU captured a 6-3 win at home, improving to 13-10 all-time against the conference foe. Salisbury is led by Annika Kezman, a sophomore from Virginia Beach, with 13 wins at No. 1 singles this year. Julia Kwedi, her doubles partner, has also compiled 13 wins at No. 2 singles this year while the duo has combined for 12 doubles victories.