Delmarva Christian volleyball digs deep in Sussex Academy win

Another chapter in the book of a local rivalry was written April 14, when the Delmarva Christian boys’ volleyball team downed Sussex Academy 3-0 at home.

“It's just fun to play them because we're all kind of friends and hanging out, playing and having fun,” said Delmarva Christian senior Harrison Schlabach.

Schlabach is recovering from a knee injury, but he got to be front row to witness the Royals cruise in the first set, come back in the second set and power through adversity in the third set.

“Definitely a confidence booster, but it also builds motivation to show that we can come back from being down,” senior James Baxter said.

Baxter was one of the high-flying Royals to make the match a spectacle. His classmate Seth Mifflin was also working some magic at the net.

“It was great hitting today,” Mifflin said. “It just hypes the crowd up, hypes the team up, gets morale going, and that's how you get more points – start building momentum.”

At one point in the second set, Delmarva Christian was down 12 and began its run in that set when it was down 20-12.

“Just tenacity getting through it, and playing the way that we know how to play, to continue to get out of that slump,” Mifflin said.

In the third and final set, it looked like Sussex Academy would come away with a set win, but Delmarva Christian managed to hang on. The Seahawks were on the brink just one more time than the Royals though, playing hard until the end.

“They put up a really good fight,” Sussex Academy coach Dreonna Phillips said. “We've been working really hard, so I'm glad it's paying off.”

Despite the loss, the Seahawks were only a little down after the game and had a look of knowing they belonged on that court.

“They can learn to never get too comfortable and keep pushing hard to the end,” Phillips said. “It's never over until the whistle blows – fight to the end.”

Delmarva Christian made sure nothing came easy for Sussex Academy and challenged every ball at the net.

“This is the most active, especially defensively, on the net that I've seen all year,” Delmarva Christian coach Ryan Kauffman said. “My middles especially are finally starting to get like, ‘Hey, we got to get outside quicker,’ and are making that first big step in getting there.”

The Royals welcome Dover for their next match at 4 p.m., Friday, April 17.