Nansemond-Suffolk Academy’s volleyball team scored an easy 25-17, 25-11, 25-15 win over visiting Norfolk Christian to open the TCIS Tournament at home on Wednesday evening.

The No. 1-seeded Lady Saints were led by junior outside hitter and Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools Player of the Year Kaylor Nash, who had 10 kills, 15 digs, 12 service points and seven aces. Senior setter Quinby Hines, who was named to the TCIS All-Conference First Team, had 26 assists.

“Both of them played good tonight,” NSA head coach Robyn Ross said. “They were excited, of course, when the All-Conference stuff came out. It’s been a goal for both of them.”

The game represented a strong start for the Lady Saints, but Ross was wary of how the speed of the game will affect their performance tonight.

“It was just a slower game than what I would have liked to have going into a bigger game tomorrow without getting to have practice between,” NSA head coach Robyn Ross said. “It’s going to make a difference in how the tournament goes with everybody playing back-to-back and not having a day to prepare for the next team they’re going to play.”

NSA pulled away on Wednesday with a quick second game that was powered by a couple of strong serving runs by Nash.

“Which can happen if we get our serves in, which has always been something that we have preached to them and made a really big deal is not missing serves, especially against a team that you don’t have to ace a bunch of times to win,” Ross said.

“Kaylor’s come a long way with where her jump serve is, and now it’s a threat and people are scared when she’s going back to serve, which is a great thing for us.”

The Lady Saints almost tuned out too early, though, when Norfolk Christian took a 6-1 lead in the third set. Ross called a timeout in order to fix the problem.

“(Norfolk Christian is) not just going to give it to our girls, and that’s what I was reminding them that they can’t just turn it down a notch and expect these girls to hand it to them, that they are going to have to go out and play and win it,” she said. “Then they showed up.”

Sophomore middle blocker Caylin Harris also contributed six kills and two blocks.

NSA plays tonight at Bishop Sullivan against the winner of the game between No. 4 Norfolk Academy and No. 5 Walsingham. Ross is hoping for a rematch against NA.

“It’s just always a really great game,” she said. “Both teams are always pumped up to play, and both teams usually play really well, and so I would love to play them again.”