The Saint Mark’s boys volleyball team arrived at Sussex Academy April 27 with vengeance on its mind after the Seahawks downed the Spartans in their own barn April 20.

Things started off well for the visitors, as they took the first two sets 25-23 and 25-21. Down 2-0, Sussex Academy showed a perseverance that has been building in a season of close calls, battling all the way back to win 3-2. 

“We started slow and were caught off guard with a new blocker we didn’t see last week,” said coach Dreonna Phillips. “After losing the first two sets, we reset our minds and went into the third ready to fight. We kept the ball alive and things started to flow, and once we found our rhythm, we just kept pushing until the end.”

A rarity in the volleyball world, the Seahawks stormed back from the deficit to win the final three sets 25-17, 25-21 and 15-10.

“We knew we had to win the next three sets, so we just decided we were starting a brand-new game at 0-0,” senior Vito Barone said. “We slowed it down and took it one pass at a time, and we took control.”

Barone picked up an eye-popping 33 assists in the contest to lead the Seahawks and had the benefit of some birds eager to take flight. Junior Mack Lawson led the flock with 19 kills and four aces. His classmate Desmond Davis tied his aces count and finished second on the team with eight kills. Jerry Green picked up six digs and had three blocks to lead the team in each of those categories.

Sussex Academy also received stellar performances from senior Christian Wright with seven kills and junior Jovan Jean-Louis with five kills and two blocks. Not to be forgotten is sophomore libero Ethan Evans, who pitched in with two digs. The cohesiveness was certified sticky.

“The last three sets were the most we’ve ever communicated,” Lawson said. “We won the third set and used the momentum to push as a team.”

The lads faced a quick turnaround and had to square up with an exceptional Indian River squad April 28. After dropping the first two sets, they kept things close in the third, but fell 25-22 and were tagged with a 3-0 loss.

Sussex Academy (4-6) will welcome local rival Delmarva Christian (3-6) to the nest at 4 p.m., Friday, May 1. The Royals took the match earlier in the season 3-0.