Nansemond-Suffolk Academy completed a regular season sweep of Walsingham Academy in boys’ volleyball Wednesday night at home in a TCIS match-up.

Matt Hamlet led a balanced Saints’ attack with eight kills and six blocks through the 25-19, 25-21, 13-25, 25-16 win.

The Trojans were first out of the gate however, using seven consecutive points to build a 7-2 lead. The Walsingham advantage had grown to 12-5 before the Saints found some offensive momentum.

Two Hamlet kills, a Patrick Clark ace, and a Bennett Bynum kill closed the gap to 12-10.

The initial deficit was completely overcome late in the game on a 9-0 run during Ashton Lewis’s serve, which upped NSA’s lead to 24-18. A couple points later, a Hamlet crosscourt kill just inside the right sideline finished off game one.

It was NSA’s turn to open up a big lead in game two, breaking out on a six straight points served by Whedbee, for a 10-2 lead. The Saints maintained that gap and were up 21-11 before Walsingham ran off their own 6-0 run.

The Trojans were unable to get closer than four points from the Saints however, as numerous Saints were involved in the game two action.

Hamlet, Whedbee, Bynum, Lewis and Clark all recorded kills and Bynum, Whedbee and Clark each had two assists each.

The Trojans got a big lead early in game three and kept right on going to pull one game back, but the Saints regrouped and Whedbee became the hub of the final game.

The Saints never trailed after gaining a 9-8 lead thanks to a Bynum kill.

Whedbee totaled four kills in game four, including winning match point with a hard kill that went off a Trojan blocker and out of play.

The crucial moments of the final game were briefly interrupted at 21-15 because both official game balls had become lodged in the gym roof, necessitating a short delay while NSA coach Randolph Davis retrieved the volleyballs with a long pole vault-like stick, to the applause of both teams and all spectators.

Whedbee finished with seven kills, and Clark and Bynum had eight and seven assists respectively.

NSA (4-5, 1-1) hosted Norfolk Christian late last night and has two road conference tests next week versus Peninsula Catholic (Tues.) and Norfolk Collegiate (Thurs.).

andrew.giermak@suffolknewsherald.com