On the first day of the 2023 Captains Classic, the Christopher Newport Volleyball team split their season opening matches. The Captains swept Muskingum in the first match, and battled to a five-set loss with No. 16 UW-Stevens Point in their second match.

Christopher Newport 3, Muskingum 0 | (25-17, 25-21, 25-21)

First Set

The Captains held the Muskies to a .09 hitting percentage in the first set and quickly set the tone for the rest of the match. CNU scored eight straight points, including two aces from Sammy Carroll and two kills from Alyssa Dozier, that changed the score from 8-7 to 16-7. The Captains finished off the first set of the season claiming three straight points. 

Second Set

Allowing four kills and forcing four errors, CNU was able to hold Muskingum to a 0 hitting percentage in the second set. Samantha Dorn had five kills in this set, part of her her team leading 13 kill performance. Macy Burk had the Captains' final two kills of the set to put her team up 2-0 in the first match of the season.

Third Set

The Captains hit a match-best .398 in the third set on their way to a three-set sweep. They hit 18 kills with just four errors to rally and win the third set. Tied at 11, CNU scored five straight points helped by two kills from Alli Pratt. A block from Pratt and Macy Burk was later the final point of the set and match.

UW-Stevens Point 3, Christopher Newport 2 | (25-20, 25-14, 25-20, 25-22, 17-15)

First Set

The Captains got off to a hot start in the first set with 16 kills, their most in any set this match. A rally of five points helped put CNU in a winning position, but they had to work to close out the set as the two sides traded points down the stretch. Two kills from Kyla McIntyre and one more from Samantha Dorn helped the Captains finish off a first set win.

Second Set

CNU won 14 of the first 16 points of the second set, setting the Captains up well. Three straight aces from Alyssa Dozier and two from Julia Gleason contributed to the quick start for CNU. It was more of the same later on in the set, with back-to-back aces from Noelle Starr capping off a 5-0 rally that claimed the second set for CNU.

Third Set

The third set was close early on, but UW-Stevens Point gained an edge by taking six of seven points midway through the set. CNU responded with five straight points that included an ace from Julia Dailey, but the Pointers got the final three points the needed to take the third set.

Fourth Set

CNU rallied back to take six of seven points and tie the score at 19. Errors on both sides kept the score tied up to 21-21. Macy Burk responded to two points from UWSP with a kill of her own, but a kill and ace from the other side allowed UW-Stevens Point to take the fourth set and force a fifth.

Fifth Set

A kill from Alli Pratt knotted up the score at 14-14. Macy Burk again responded to a UWSP point with a kill to keep the match going. But a service error returned the serve to the Pointers and they took advantage to win the match point.

News & Notes

• Freshman Samantha Dorn led the Captains in kills in both matches, 13 kills in each match. Megan James did the same on the opening day of the 2022 season.
• Five Captains made their CNU debuts on Friday. Madi Schmidt, Phoebe Adams, Samantha Dorn, Alli Pratt, and Julia Dailey all saw their first action.
• Sammy Carroll had >30 assists in both of Friday's matches.

Next Up

Christopher Newport face Mount St. Joseph on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. It will be streamed live at CNUSports.com/watch.