NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- CNU volleyball kept its winning ways going by defeating Eastern (Pa.) University and Centre (Ky.) College, each in straight sets, on the first day of the Captains Invitational Friday in the Freeman Center.

In the afternoon, the Captains defeated Eastern 3-0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-16). In the evening, CNU scored a 3-0 win (25-21, 25-17, 25-17) over Centre. The Captains (21-7) have won 15 of their last 17 matches, 12 coming in three sets.

In the two matches, Alyssa Dozier led the Captains with 21 kills. Simara Alexander had 19 followed by Samantha Dorn and Emmy Carpenedo with 16 and Simone Schaefer with 10. Fielding Croft had 78 assists, an average of 13 per set.

In the day's first match, CNU exhibited a balanced and efficient offense. Six players had at least four kills —Alexander (11), Dozier (10), Dorn (nine), Carpenedo (eight), Avery Hanly (five) and Schaefer (four).

Dozier had a hitting percentage of .563, her sixth match of the season at .500 or better. (She made it seven later in the day against Centre). Croft had 40 assists (13.3 per set) and three aces. Carpenedo led the Captains with 13 digs.

The opening set was tight throughout the first 29 points before a 6-0 run gave CNU a 22-13 lead. Croft served on five of those points and had two assists, an ace and a kill.

In the second set, CNU took control with a 7-1 run boosted by two kills each by Alexander and Carpenedo. The Eagles (20-7) had another push left and cut the lead to 24-20, but the Captains put it away on a kill by Hanly.

CNU jumped out in the third for a 7-0 lead and rolled from there. Dorn and Carpenedo each had four kills.

In the nightcap, the Captains took the first set behind five kills by Dozier and four by Schaefer. CNU was clinging to a 20-19 lead until creating some distance with a 3-0 run, two of the points coming on aces by Croft.

Croft clinched the first set with a kill.

In the second set, the Captains took control with an 11-3 run that made it 21-13 on a shared block by Alexander and Schaefer. CNU scored the 25^th and clinching point on a kill by Schaefer.

The Captains never trailed in the third set behind four kills by Dozier and three by Dorn.

The Captains will conclude play in their Invitational today at 1 p.m. against Roanoke College. Dozier, Maddi Morrison and Megan James will be honored on Senior Day.