Ellen Giermak smacked over three aces to tie with Michelle Boucher for the match lead as Giermak and Leigh Pfiel played their final home games Thursday as Nansemond-Suffolk Academy defeated Greenbrier Christian 25-21, 25-15, 25-18.

&uot;It was good,&uot; Giermak said of the match. &uot;We beat them in three games, which is what we wanted to do.&uot;

NSA got off to a tough start, as GC leaped ahead 5-2 and 11-7 in the first game before a kill from Boucher – one of a match-leading six – gave the Lady Saints a 13-12 lead, and GC wouldn’t get back ahead all night. Two kills by Minka Foster and a Boucher ace gave NSA a 19-16 lead, and Pfiel served over three points to go up, 24-20. GC got a quick point, but Boucher tipped a shot into the center of the GC court to take the game.

Giermak began the next game with an ace, but GC fought to 3-3. Boucher knocked down a pair of kills to go ahead 6-3, and a Kristen Nuckles ace upped the lead to 9-5. GC got to 10-9, then 15-14 before Boucher took over, whacking over seven consecutive points, one of which was an ace, to get her team a 22-14 advantage. Kills by Alexis Taves and Foster got NSA two more points, and an ace from Nuckles ended the game.

Giermak again got NSA rolling with an ace on the way to a 4-0 lead before GC got within 6-5. Foster swatted a kill, her fifth and final of the match, and Nuckles served two more points to get ahead 9-5. GC charged to 10-9, but Foster slammed a pair of aces for a 13-8 lead, and Jade Bishop hit two more points to get to 19-14. The teams went back and forth, and Foster dropped a soft lob over the net to close things out.

The Lady Saints, seeded either second or third in the TCIS, depending on the other schools’ final games, will host their first TCIS tournament game Tuesday against an undetermined opponent.

&uot;At this point last year,&uot; said head coach Shane Foster, &uot;we were desperately fighting to even get in the playoffs. This season has been absolutely remarkable, and a big part of our season was (the seniors).&uot;

&uot;I’ve grown up with a lot of the team,&uot; Pfiel said. &uot;Just being together was all good.&uot;

The Saint boys closed out their season with a 25-11, 10-25, 25-22, 25-13 loss at Greenbrier Thursday, and will play their first TCIS tournament Tuesday evening at an undetermined away location.

jason.norman@suffolknewsherald.com