Nansemond River’s season got off to a roaring start Tuesday as the Warriors recorded 11 kills and aces in a sound 15-5, 15-7 defeat of visiting Norview. After Casey Butler and Brad Frizzell served up the passes, Dusty Alexander and Justin Sorenson slammed home the kills in the victory. Alexander had seven kills for the Warriors (1-0, 0-0).

After the teams went back and forth twice with no scoring for the first few minutes, Craig Brooks stepped behind the line and banged over two aces. A pair of kills and an ace from Evan Ching lifted Norview to a 5-2 lead, but the Warrior offense took over.

Chris Case served Nansemond River to a tie, and Frizzell hammered over the first kill of the match. Norview briefly took the ball, but an ace from Brandon Weinstein and a kill by Alexander raised the lead to 8-5. In the remainder of the first game, Alexander recorded two kills and aces and Sorenson a kill to end it.

The Pilots didn’t give up, as three aces from Josh Dozier gave them a 5-2 lead to start off the second game. But the Warriors went back to their murdering ways, as Alexander spiked for another kill and Butler bombed a serve past the Pilots.

Norview got possession, and got as high as 7-3. But two kills from Sorenson and a pair of aces from Weinstein tied the score, and the Pilots didn’t put another point on the board.

A double-tip from Sorenson and Butler gave the Warriors the lead, and Weinstein hammered over another ace. Alexander bashed two consecutive kills, and Nansemond River had a commanding 11-7 lead.

Weinstein’s next serve hit the net, but the Warrior defense wasted only seconds regaining the ball, and Case got ready to serve again. After Brooks barely saved the Warriors’ first point with a one-handed tip, Case and his offense smashed three more shots past the Pilot defense, and the game was in the books.

&uot;I was going to put it down on them!&uot; Case said, when asked his mindset before serving. &uot;I wanted to be the one to serve the last points – what a great rush! Our passes were the best thing we had tonight. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a great season.&uot;

Sorenson described the feeling of a kill. &uot;You’re excited, because there’s people all around you screaming,&uot; he said. &uot;You’re trying not to hit it too hard because you might hit it out. But when you come back down from jumping, you can’t get too excited, because your mind gets off the game.&uot;

The Warriors will attempt to continue their winning ways in a re-match at Norview next Tuesday at 4 p.m.