The Nansemond River High School girls’ volleyball team endured a difficult season, and though the challenges were significant, the Lady Warriors were represented by three all-conference selections, including senior setter Camryn Holt, who made the first team.

Junior outside hitter Madison Rhoads made the all-conference second team, and senior libero Maddie McGrath received honorable mention.

“I think for the situation that they were put in, I think they did pretty well,” Nansemond River coach Robin Smith said.

For any team in any sport, consistent leadership is important, and major changes at the top — particularly when they take place in-season — can be hard for players to adjust to.

The Lady Warriors weathered a coaching change during the 2015 season. Smith noted that due to personal reasons, coach Mandy McManus had to leave, and Smith, the junior varsity team coach, ended up taking over.

This change came in addition to Nansemond River’s move up to the Virginia High School League’s Group 5A classification this year, which pitted the Lady Warriors against conference opponents that hailed from bigger schools than they had been used to in the Ironclad Conference.

With the move to 5A, Nansemond River transitioned to the PenSouth Conference, but Smith noted logistics were an issue since her team is the only one in the conference on this side of the water.

The Lady Warriors finished the season with a record of 6-16. They won 3-2 against Gloucester High School in the conference tournament quarterfinals before seeing their season end in the semifinals with a 3-0 loss to Warwick High School.

When it came time for all-conference honors, all but one of the Nansemond River players Smith put up for consideration received an honor, so she said, “I think they did pretty good.”

“They made an impact with a few of the coaches, and they were able to step up and be heard and seen,” Smith said, alluding to the fact that honors are voted on by coaches of the teams in the conference.

Camryn Holt received an all-conference first team honor for the third straight year.

Giving her take on why coaches picked Holt this year, Smith said, “She was just an all-around player that they all kind of wanted and all kind of feared.”

Smith highlighted Holt’s abilities as a setter, passer and especially her skill as a server, noting opposing coaches “remembered her serves big-time.”

Across all 22 matches this season, Holt recorded 301 assists, 52 kills, 73 aces, six blocks and 129 digs.

Smith selected Holt as the Lady Warriors’ 2015 MVP. The senior setter is also a four-year letterman in the sport of volleyball and made the All-4A South Region second team in 2014.