NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The Meredith College volleyball Angels dropped both Friday matches at the Captains Classic to open the 2017 season. A 3-0 (25-15, 25-14, 25-23) sweep by host Christopher Newport followed a 3-2 (25-23, 25-21, 25-27, 24-26, 16-18) battle to Neumann University. The teams pair up once more in a second play day beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Freeman Center.

Caroline Corey led the night with a double-double on 20 kills, 11 digs versus the Knights and 6 kills, 7 digs in the nightcap. Haley Reeg notched an impressive .727 hitting performance versus NU on a perfect eight kills, and Alex Hafliger notched 19 kills, six blocks on the night.

Game one opened with a 2-0 lead from the Angels. The Knights found a sweet spot for early success from the service line in set three, but Meredith recovered midway through the set with Lauren Phillips at the line to take a 14-13 lead. Neumann's Kirsten Longueira served the Knights back in front, and the battle continued. Back-to-back winners from Corey evened the set to 22. A NU error edged Meredith into the lead 23-22.

Neumann's Rachel Cray dished out back-to-back assists for a 24-23 lead, but Corey finished off an assist from Lauren Grodi to even the match again. Cray and Corey each delivered once more before consecutive Angel errors handed the win to the Knights.

Neumann carried the win to an early 10-3 lead in the fourth. Meredith chipped away at the lead until a 6-0 rally edged the Avenging Angels into the lead 23-22. Two points to the Knights led to a Hafliger kill from Hannah Blaylock, but NU finished off the set to force a deciding game.

Both teams fought for a clear advantage, but the spread was no more than two points throughout the set save one.

Game two remained in clear favor of the Captains.

Blaylock dished out 50 assists on the day with a dozen digs and one service ace, and Katie Keen tallied a combined 34 digs. Samantha Smith boasted 25 digs, and Elisabeth Smith finished with eight kills on the day.