NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Christopher Newport Volleyball defeated Southern Virginia 25-12, 25-22, 25-23 in the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) semifinals Thursday night to advance to their seventh consecutive CAC title match on Saturday vs. Mary Washington, who defeated Salisbury 25-17, 25-16, 25-17 in the other semifinal.
The Knights were no match in the first set as CNU raced out to a 12-1 lead and CNU would lead by no fewer than nine for the remainder of the set.
The final two sets would be fought tooth and nail. There were numerous ties and lead changes throughout the second frame, and with CNU ahead 20-16, SVU went on a 5-0 run to go up 21-20. Two of the next three points went in the favor of CNU to knot the score at 22-22, but the Captains closed it out with a
Katie Crofford kill, a Kayleigh-Regan Smith service ace, and an SVU attack error.
SVU scored the first four points and held the lead throughout the third set's first 19 points before the Captains tied it at 10-10, and CNU took a one-point lead just three plays later at 12-11. SVU bounced back to lead 16-15, but Christopher Newport picked up seven of the following nine points to surge ahead 22-18. The Knights cut the lead to two on the next two plays, but the Captains pushed it back to a four-point lead, 24-20, behind a
Megan O'Hara kill and a
Katie Piper ace. Southern Virginia sliced the deficit to just one at 24-23, but
Mackenzie Wright and
Megan O'Hara tag-teamed on a block to end the match.
Katie Crofford double-doubled with 11 kills and 11 digs to go with an ace and two blocks.
Sammy Carroll handed out 31 aces along with three kills, three aces, and a block.
Mackenzie Wright tallied eight kills and three blocks while
Riley Garrison contributed six kills and five blocks.
Katie Piper posted six kills, eight digs, and an ace.
Megan O'Hara added four kills and four blocks.
Kayleigh Reagan-Smith totaled 13 digs and an ace.
CNU led .184 to .146 in hitting percentage as well as 54-40 in points, 38-31 in kills, 8-1 in aces, and 32-28 in assists. SVU held a 50-44 edge in digs while both teams recorded eight blocks.
