Coming up just short of a Henlopen South title, the Sussex Academy volleyball team’s pursuit of the crown may have ended with a 3-0 loss, but it did lead to a program-high 11 wins.

The Seahawks welcomed the eventual champ, Lake Forest, into their house on Senior Night, heightening the feel of an already-emotional night Oct. 21. 

A 25-11 victory in the first set was proof positive of the Spartans’ caliber, but a gritty Sussex Academy squad came back in the second set and showed what has led them to the most successful season in school history – resiliency. 

Unfortunately, the girls’ bounce back came up short, as Lake took the second set 25-22 and the third and final set  25-17 to become the 2025 Henlopen South girls’ volleyball champions.

In her final regular-season match, Ellie Merrick recorded three kills and a team-high one block.

“I'm definitely gonna miss playing volleyball because I'm not gonna continue anywhere,” Merrick said before the epic season.

Senior Carolyn Reese picked up a dig in her last regular-season match, and her classmate Aleida Calloway tallied a kill in her regular-season finale. Junior Maya Hastings’ 10 aces and nine digs were team highs. Sophomore Jopie Smith led the Seahawks with 20 assists. Freshman Reagan Klahr tied three Spartans with a match-high two aces.

Sussex Academy has put together an 11-4 record to put on their resume for the tournament selection committee to look at. The Seahawks finished with a 7-4 record in the Henlopen Conference and a 5-2 record in the South. Their key wins came over a double-digit winning Sussex Central squad and a tough Red Lion team.