NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Salisbury University volleyball team fell on Saturday in the Capital Athletic Conference championship match to top-seeded Christopher Newport University, 3-0.

The Sea Gulls kept the score close throughout the match, only dropping the sets by a combined 14 points, 25-19, 25-20, 25-22.

SU (29-5) led early in the first set, 3-2, with the help of two kills from junior Julie Poston and one from senior Tam Weems.

The teams traded the lead until the set was tied, 10-10, when CNU got a kill from Harper Smith, followed by a Salisbury ball-handling error, giving the Captains a lead, and they would not fall behind for the rest of the set.

The Gulls tied the game, 14-14, on a block by freshman Katie Stouffer and junior Kirby Buttry, but Christopher Newport took an 11-5 run for a 1-0 lead in the match.

Stouffer led the team on the day with nine kills, as well; she was followed by junior Mattie Smith with eight and Weems with seven.

Kills from Smith and Poston, gave Salisbury a 2-1 lead in the second set, but the Captains went on a 9-4 stretch to build a five-point lead.

The next three Salisbury points came on kills by Buttry, Smith and Weems, which sparked a 10-6 run to bring the Sea Gulls back within one.

CNU would regain a four-point lead on three-consecutive kills and take the second set on a 9-5 closing advantage.

Salisbury fell into an early 12-6 deficit in the third set, but anther kill by Stouffer started a 9-4 tear, including two service aces by sophomore Kacey Franz, two assisted blocks, with Buttry teaming up with Smith for one and Poston for the other, and kills by Poston and Smith, to cut the score to 17-16.

The Sea Gulls continued to keep the score close, but were unable to gain the lead, as the Captains took the third set and the win.

Franz led the team with 20 assists, and junior Michelle Meehan led with 11 digs.

Salisbury now awaits the announcement of the NCAA tournament field, which will be revealed on Monday. Log on to www.suseagulls.com for more information as it becomes available.