Dialog reporter
CLAYMONT – Delaware Military Academy came out in the first set of its Diamond State Athletic Conference battle with Archmere on Oct. 4 looking like a team possessed. The Seahawks, thanks in large part to the powerful right arm of Victoria Taylor, were up, 17-8, over the Auks.
But Archmere scored the next six points and 12 of the next 14, taking the first set en route to defeating DMA in a rematch of last season’s state championship match. Set scores were 25-21, 25-17 and 25-18.
“We started to work as a team and make the changes we needed to in order to take the win in the first set,” sophomore Jade Bryant said.
The Auks followed a script similar to Padua, which defeated DMA last week. They employed a number of offensive weapons, varied their hitting lanes, and on defense did a superb job anticipating where the Seahawks would hit. Taylor had her kills – final statistics were not available as of 10 p.m. – but Archmere kept her supporting cast in check.
“We really focused on defense, and we made sure that on the block we were blocking the right spots so we would be ready to dig where she was hitting,” junior hitter Nicki Kelly said. “We really wanted to have the block ready for touches at all times.”
Kelly was one of a number of Auks who inflicted damage on the Seahawks. The home team – encouraged by a raucous, costumed student section – got significant contributions from Bryant, Julia Kochie, Amy Thomson, and the other Kelly sister, Lexi. Defensively, they frustrated DMA at the net and on the back line all night long.
“We’re really working hard in the front row, and we’re making sure our setters are able to set all hitters and get it out for our hitters to hit,” Nicki Kelly said.
The match turned after the Seahawks opened up that nine-point first-set advantage. Kochie had two kills during the initial six-point run, and Lexi Kelly added a block. Taylor scored a kill off the tape to push the DMA lead back to four at 18-14, but Archmere would rebound to take its first lead at 19-18 when Lexi Kelly smashed an overpass to the floor. Tori Mock delivered an ace to send it to set point, and a minute later, the Auks took the win on a service error.
Bryant opened the second set with a kill to send the Auks on their way in that one. Thomson and Nicki Kelly scored twice off blocks, and the score reached 9-3 before Delaware Military called a timeout. The lead got as high as 12, at 21-9, before the Seahawks started to cut it down, but it was too much to overcome. Again, a service error ended the set.
The teams were even through half of the third and final set before Archmere put the match away. It was 12-10 Auks after a cross-court smash by Taylor, but the home team responded with the next four points. The first two came courtesy of DMA unforced errors, followed by a huge kill from Nicki Kelly and a cross-court winner from Faith Merritt that kissed the sideline.
The Seahawks climbed to within 23-18, but it was too late. A line violation pushed it to match point, and Lexi Kelly finished it with a kill through the DMA block.
Archmere remained undefeated with the win, improving to 8-0. The Auks stay home for their next match, which is Friday at 6:15 when a dangerous Ursuline team visits.
“We’re playing really good competition now. We’re starting to work together as a team and figure out how we move together,” Bryant said.
DMA fell to 3-3 and plays again on Saturday at Cherry Hill East (N.J.) at 12:30 p.m.
