NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- Alyssa Dozier and Avery Hanly had 13 kills each, but it was freshman setter Fielding Croft who picked the most opportune moment for her career first. In a marathon of a fourth set, Croft placed a shot just over the net and past a diving Coast Guard Academy defender. It capped a 34-32 fourth set that gave CNU a 3-1 win in the Captains Classic Saturday in the Freeman Center.
 
Emmy Carpenedo got the assist, and Phoebe Adams was able to keep the point alive with her 11^th and final dig. Croft's kill capped a back-and-forth set in which the Captains had seven match points and the Bears four. CNU looked in control with a 22-16 lead, but Coast Guard — which earlier took a set from No. 2 Wisconsin-Whitewater in a 3-1 loss — didn't budge.
 
Dozier, who was selected to the Classic's all-tournament team, had six of her 13 kills in the fourth set. She also had a block and a service ace. Megan James, another all-tournament pick, had two of her 10 kills in the final set along with an assist and service ace.
 
Croft had seven of her 22 assists and two of her three aces in the fourth set. Classmate Lauren Hobbs finished with 21 assists along with two aces. Three games in, the freshmen setters have combined for 99 assists — Croft 51, Hobbs 48. 
 
The first set gave a glimpse into how the match eventually would unfold. After 11 ties and five lead changes, the Captains emerged 27-25 on a kill by Samantha Dorn (assist by Hobbs). But the drama would be put on hold for the next two sets. With 15 kills and a .300 hitting percentage, the Bears cruised in the second 25-14. In the third, led by three kills each by Dorn and Hanly, the Captains won 25-16.
 
After three sets, CNU and the Coast Guard had won 66 points each, setting up the epic finale. 
 
After a 2-1 showing in the Classic, Christopher Newport will return to the court next weekend to host the Captains Challenge. On Friday, CNU will go against Bridgewater College at 3 p.m. At 7 p.m., the Captains will face No. 10 Trinity (Texas) University. Saturday at 1 p.m., CNU will play William Paterson. The Captains defeated the Pioneers 3-1 in the NCAA Regionals last fall.
 
Captains Classic All-Tournament Team
MVP - Aubrie Krzus - Wisconsin-Whitewater
Abbie Dix - Wisconsin-Whitewater
Natalie Lawton - Wisconsin-Whitewater
Alyssa Dozier – CNU
Megan James – CNU
Sam Ventimiglia - Coast Guard
Ava Ahokovi - Coast Guard
Julia Raab - Catholic