The Nansemond-Suffolk Academy girls’ volleyball team and the state championship match are becoming well acquainted. The Lady Saints earned their third straight trip to the title match on Friday afternoon.

To get there, they had to face the team they beat to earn their 2013 state crown, but the match this time was not nearly as competitive. NSA soundly defeated Fredericksburg Christian School 25-12, 25-13, 25-4 at Peninsula Catholic High School.

Nansemond-Suffolk coach Robyn Ross said her players did a good job of following the game plan exactly like they practiced it.

“It’s nice when a plan comes together,” she said.

Lady Saints senior middle blocker Caylin Harris had an impressive game, contributing 14 kills off of 16 attempts with no errors. She also had four aces and six digs.

Harris was excited by how her whole team played.

“It was pretty close to perfect today,” she said.

Ross highlighted the statistics of a few of her players, but also made the point that everyone contributed.

“You don’t win like that without everybody playing well,” she said.

Sophomore outside hitter Logan Harrell had an excellent service game. She served 22 times, and the Lady Saints won 17 points off of her serves. She started out the third game with 12 consecutive points. She also had five aces for the match.

Senior libero Bridget Murphy led the NSA defense with eight digs. It was a lower number than usual for the team leader in that category, but that was a product of how overwhelmed the Lady Eagles were.

“They didn’t get the ball back over the net very often,” Ross said.

Nansemond-Suffolk finished the game with a new season-high of 17 aces.

Ross said she was enjoying this particular trip to the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division II state championship match specifically because she is seeing it through the eyes of her younger players, who have emerged as like-minded competitors this season.

Sophomore outside hitter Lindsay Knierbein has become a key contributor in her first year on the team and enjoyed the experience on Friday of advancing to the state final, which will be played today at noon at Peninsula Catholic High School.

“I’m really proud of us, and I’m so excited to play tomorrow, and I would be so honored if we could win again,” she said.

Nansemond-Suffolk (20-9) will face Middleburg Academy for the state title. The Lady Saints lost earlier this season to Middleburg, but were playing without Harris at the time.