SALISBURY, Md. -- Making their final road trip of the season on Wednesday night, the Christopher Newport volleyball team will take on Salisbury University (14-5) at 6:00 p.m. The Captains are 15-6 overall this season and riding a three-match winning streak heading into the midweek matchup.
Live stats and a live video webcast will be available online with links found on the volleyball schedule at CNUsports.com.
Christopher Newport is coming off back-to-back 3-1 wins over the weekend as CNU traveled to Shenandoah University and Washington and Lee University to pick up the marquee wins. Now, CNU will make their final road trip and look to add to an impressive 7-2 record in true road games and a 12-4 overall mark in games away from the Freeman Center.
In the all-time series against Salisbury, the Captains own a 31-21 advantage including wins in four of the last five meetings. CNU had dropped four in a row at the Maggs Physical Activities Center on the Salisbury University campus before capturing a thrilling 3-1 win on the road last season. In that victory,
Fielding Croft recorded 47 assists and
Simara Alexander ranked second on the team with 11 kills.
This season, Croft has shared the setting duties with sophomore
Lauren Hobbs and the pair together have helped lead CNU to a top-30 ranking in assists per set this season. With a tick over 12 assists per set, the Captains rank 29th in Division III this season in facilitating the offense, which also ranks 35th in the country in hitting percentage.
Simara Alexander has been on the receiving end of those sets often and she is one of three regulars hitting at over a .310 clip so far this season. She has 129 kills to rank fourth on the team while rookie
Jasmine Williams, with 163, and
Alli Pratt, with 150, round out the trio of accurate attackers. Williams is hitting at a near-record pace of .329 and Pratt is working at a career-best .313 pace.
Christopher Newport will take on Salisbury, who enters the matchup as one of the top defensive teams in the conference with 16.75 digs per set. The Sea Gulls dropped a 3-1 decision on Saturday at Rowan which ended a seven-match winning streak. Kiley McTaggart is leading the way with 219 kills and a .220 attack percentage while also ranking fourth on the team with 136 total digs and second in total blocks with 46.
Following the final road trip, the Captains will close out the year with the final six matches coming on the home floor at the Freeman Center. On Saturday, October 24, CNU welcomes Johnson & Wales (N.C.) at 11:00 a.m. before taking on Randolph College at 3:00 p.m.
