The Nansemond River girls volleyball team saw a 14-8 lead slip away in the second game of their 15-3, 16-14 loss to visiting Norview in their season opener Tuesday. After Whitney Boyd served six consecutive aces past the Lady Warrior (0-1, 0-0) defense to open the match, she knocked over three more points in the last game to ice the game for the Lady Pilots.

Serving was the name of the game for Norview in the opener. Besides six aces from Boyd, Norview got three from Kisa Creekmore and two from Shaidya Rosario.

Rachele Hirsch, however, banged over three consecutive points for the Lady Warriors to start the second game, and Ashley Stewart had one of her own as Nansemond River marched to a 4-0 lead.

The Lady Pilots made their way back, as Rosario knocked two aces past Nansemond River to jump to a 6-5 lead, but an ace by April Hines knotted the score, and the teams traded points for the next few minutes.

After Whitney Eley blasted a kill nearly into the hardwood, Stewart took over behind the line, and slammed home three consecutive aces to give her team an 11-8 advantage. Ashanti Matthews drove home her first kill of the afternoon to give Norview possession, but Nansemond River stole it back, and Eley and Tiffany Sherman served their team to a 14-8 advantage.

Norview got the ball back, and Creekmore dropped three balls into Lady Warrior territory to get to 14-11.

Nansemond River regained possession, but a kill attempt failed to clear the net, and Keiva Small served two more points to get to within one. Nansemond River called timeout, and Small’s next serve went into the net.

Hirsch served, but the Lady Pilots tipped the ball over to regain the ball, and Boyd served for three more points (including an ace) to complete Norview’s comeback.

&uot;My girls were definitely playing with first-game jitters,&uot; said Nansemond River coach Nancy Richy. &uot;They’re capable of better play.&uot;

The Lady Warriors will get another shot at the Lady Pilots when they head to Norview next Tuesday (the first day of school). &uot;It would have been nice to beat them in our house,&uot;said Richy, &uot;but we’ll have to settle for beating them in theirs!&uot;