Seahawks’ winning streak snapped by explosive Eagles

For the first time this season, Sussex Academy volleyball has tasted defeat following a 3-0 loss to Smyrna Sept. 23. 

The Seahawks came into the match 5-0, riding a seven-game win streak dating back to a strong finish last year. Despite the loss, the 5-1 record has given the girls some breathing room.

“I think we had a lot of momentum building from the fast start of the season, and we hadn’t faced a team with such a strong block yet,” coach Hailee Gooch said. “Smyrna is always a great team, but I think the difference in pace and force got to us a little during this match. For the rest of the season, I can only hope we learn from this, adapt and keep playing our game.”

Smyrna piled up points early in the first set, but Sussex Academy showed signs of life in the 25-16 set loss that carried over into the second set. Things were kept much closer, but the 25-20 set win gave the Eagles a 2-0 advantage, and a 25-18 third set clinched the game, 3-0, for Smyrna.

While the girls were disappointed, the team thinks they can use the good and the bad from the loss in different ways.

“I told them ‘I hope this makes you guys want to reach our goals even more; tomorrow we show up all prepared to make ourselves better, coaches and players,’” Gooch said. “I won’t say I’m super proud of that loss, but there were good moments to celebrate and I know we’ll find ways to become better because of this.”

Junior Maya Hastings led the Seahawks with 11 kills; her classmate Grayce Glover had seven for second. Ellie Merrick’s two blocks led Sussex Academy. Glover’s 13 digs edged out junior Anna Lara-Nieto’s 12. Sophomore Jopie Smith had a team-high 13 assists; Nadia Ahmed had eight.