NSA girls’ volleyball team successfully defends state title

Youth, savvy and an overcoming spirit were the fuel that powered the Nansemond-Suffolk Academy girls’ volleyball team to its second state title in as many years.

The Lady Saints blew past the top seed in the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division II tournament on Saturday to take the crown.

“I think last year it was expected, and then this year, we were not the higher seed, and we had a lot of ups and downs with injuries and sickness,” NSA coach Robyn Ross said. “Knowing how hard they had to fight all year makes this one different — not better or worse, just a different kind of special.”

Finishing at 21-9, the Lady Saints lost seven more games than last year and were the No. 2 seed in the state tourney this time. But they made quick work of No. 1 Middleburg Academy on Saturday, winning in straight sets — 25-11, 27-25, 25-12 — in the state title match at Peninsula Catholic High School.

For many of the girls on Nansemond-Suffolk’s roster, this was their third straight trip to the state final.

“It still feels really good,” said senior libero Bridget Murphy, who led NSA with 20 digs. “I feel like this is the peak of our season. It wasn’t like we leveled out. We just kept getting better.”

Lady Saints senior middle blocker Caylin Harris said, “It was amazing to see our hard work pay off.”

As in last year’s state title match, Harris’ impact was profound. She poured on 18 kills and supplied 13 digs against the Lady Dragons.

Harris, who missed part of the regular season when she was sidelined with mono, contrasted this season to the last one.

“All the stars seemed to be aligned last year, and it was a pretty much perfect season, but this year, we had ups and downs and fighting through different lineups and younger players, and it’s so much more rewarding, because I didn’t feel like it was handed to us — that we really, really fought for it,” she said.

Senior Lizzy Fowler, who blossomed this year at middle blocker and had six kills on Saturday, emphasized how the season’s rough patches ultimately affected the team.

“Having those struggles, I think, helped us,” she said. Speaking to Harris, she added, “When you were out, everybody had to step up.”

They were forced to grow as players, putting the team in an even better position to excel when she returned to the lineup. Middleburg had defeated NSA earlier in the season, but that was when Harris was out.

“It was exciting to show them what they missed last time,” Harris said.

Ross suspected that nerves held the Lady Dragons back in the first set on Saturday, while the seasoned state-level players on her roster shined.

In the second set, the teams alternated nearly every point, and Ross explained what ultimately gave the Lady Saints the edge in that situation.

“That’s what we do in practice all the time,” she said, noting she runs drills for every conceivable scenario. “We watched film, we studied players, we knew exactly what they could do, what they would probably do.”

NSA knows all too well the importance of closing out a match after going up two games to none against Peninsula Catholic in 2012’s state final and ultimately losing.

Great serving, contributions from younger players and more strong play from the Lady Saints’ middles helped seal the deal after Middleburg took an early 8-4 third set lead.

Senior setter Brooks Gillerlain had 13 points on her serves in the match, with five aces, four of which came in the third set.

Sophomore outside hitter Lindsay Knierbein had 12 points on her serves on Saturday and drew praise from Ross for her clutch performance in the third set.

“She’s the one that served really tough and brought us back,” the coach said.

This was Knierbein’s first year on the team and Saturday was her first experience being a state champion.

“It meant everything to me,” she said. “I usually don’t cry about things when I’m happy, but today was like the first time that ever happened. It was just, like, I’ll never forget that moment.”

Sophomore outside hitter Logan Harrell served well again, and sophomore outside hitter Livi Bono contributed six kills, including the one that ended the match.

“It was great to see the young ones go for it today, willing to learn from the older girls exactly what it takes and how to do it,” Ross said.