NEWPORT NEWS, VA. - Second-seeded Christopher Newport punched its ticket to the Coast-to-Coast Conference Championship with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over third-seeded UC Santa Cruz in the semifinals Friday night at the Freeman Center. The Captains showcased a balanced attack, with three players reaching double-digit kills and two recording double-doubles.

First Set

UC Santa Cruz jumped out to a commanding 10-3 lead early, forcing the Captains to play catch-up. Macy Burk and Alyssa Dozier tried to spark the offense, but the Banana Slugs held off CNU's late push to take the opening set, 25-18.

Second Set

CNU responded with an energetic start in the second set, scoring the first three points with kills from Dozier, Samantha Dorn, and Carley Coghill. Despite a mid-set rally from UCSC, the Captains reclaimed control with aces from Alyssa Vitale and Kensie Price. Leading 17-16, CNU rattled off eight of the final nine points, highlighted by kills from Megan James and Dozier, to even the match with a 25-17 win.

Third Set

The Captains carried their momentum into the third set, as Vitale opened with an ace, and James followed with a kill and another ace for a 5-1 lead. After building a 12-8 advantage, CNU unleashed a 7-0 run to extend the margin. Dominant at the net, Dozier and Coghill combined for two blocks during the spurt, while Dorn added a pair of kills. The Captains cruised to a 25-15 win to take the lead in the match.

Fourth Set

Two early aces from James helped CNU build a 5-2 lead, but UC Santa Cruz clawed back, eventually tying the score at 11-11 and later leading 20-18. Refusing to back down, the Captains surged ahead with clutch plays, including a Dozier kill and another ace from James to even the set at 20-20. After a UCSC timeout, CNU scored the final five points with Dozier and Dorn each hitting a kill before teaming up for a block to bring up match point. Noelle Starr sealed the match with an ace for a 25-21 win.

News & Notes

• Alyssa Vitale and Megan James each recorded double-doubles. Vitale tallied 25 assists and 16 digs, while James contributed 11 digs and 10 kills.
• Samantha Dorn led the team with 14 kills, while Dozier and James totaled 10 each.
• The Captains served 12 aces, the third-most in a match this season, led by James and Vitale with four apiece.

Up Next

Christopher Newport will play for the Coast-to-Coast Conference Championship on Saturday, November 16, at 3:00 p.m. against top-seeded Salisbury. The match follows the Third-Place Game at noon.