St. Mary's City, Md. – First-year setter Mimi Graf (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck) collected her ninth double-double of the season but it wasn't enough as the St. Mary's College of Maryland volleyball team fell 3-1 to Capital Athletic Conference newcomer, Christopher Newport University, Wednesday night.

Graf posted 24 assists and 12 digs as well as three block assists while sophomore middle blocker Mandy Goodspeed (Columbia, Md./Atholton) paced the Seahawk offense with 11 kills and two block assists.

St. Mary's falls to 15-7 (1-4 CAC) on the season following tonight's loss. The team hopes to snap their four-match skid on Friday, October 25 when St. Mary's hosts Randolph-Macon College in non-conference action at 6:00 pm in the Michael P. O'Brien Athletics & Recreation Center Arena.

Christopher Newport (18-11, 5-0 CAC), who is currently riding a seven-match win streak, took the first set by a 25-15 margin. The Seahawks started the set with a 5-2 advantage but CNU used an 8-0 run to reclaim the lead for good. The Captains never trailed in the second set en route to a 25-15 game win and 2-0 match lead.

The Seahawks overcame a 4-0 deficit in the third set and went on a 14-4 tear to take over the lead for good. A kill by first-year middle blocker Ashley Rock (Arlington, Va./Yorktown) pulled Christopher Newport within 23-22 but a pair of Captain errors sealed the 25-22 win for St. Mary's, cutting the deficit to 2-1.

In the fourth and final set, the game was tied four times and the lead changed three times. CNU broke a 4-4 draw with a 7-1 run to grab hold of the lead. The Captains did not relinquish the lead despite St. Mary's coming within 19-16. Christopher Newport closed the deal with a 6-1 run.

Sophomore captain Autumn Fisher (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown) contributed to the Seahawk attack with nine kills and two service aces while first-year libero Carissa Hill (Lanham, Md./Pallotti) led the defensive effort with a match-best 16 digs and added two aces as well.

The Captains were led by first-year outside hitter Briana Sutton (Williamsburg, Va./Jamestown) who registered a double-double on a match-high 15 kills and 12 digs.

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