Nansemond-Suffolk Academy’s state champion girls’ volleyball team had three representatives on the all-state first team and one on the second team.

Senior outside hitter Kaylor Nash, junior middle blocker Caylin Harris and junior setter Brooks Gillerlain drew first team All-VISAA Division II honors, while the second team included junior setter/libero Bridget Murphy.

Nash was pleased to make it three years in a row with this honor. “Being recognized always makes you feel good,” she said.

In somewhat of a surprise, she was not chosen to repeat as Division II Player of the Year for the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association.

Nevertheless, she still improved significantly over last year in nearly every category. For 2013, she had 478 kills, 130 aces, 450 digs and 24 blocks. Her tallies last year included 437 kills, 109 aces and 409 digs.

But Nash was not hung up on missing out this year.

“My team won states,” she said. “That means so much more to me than me getting Player of the Year.”

NSA head coach Robyn Ross reflected on Nash’s development throughout high school and what the Radford University-bound senior means to her.

“I have never coached a team at NSA without Kaylor on it, and to say I will miss her can’t even begin to explain it,” Ross wrote in an email. “I have had a front row seat watching her turn into one of the best volleyball players in Virginia, but even more rewarding has been watching her evolve into an amazing woman, and I am so proud my name is associated with hers.”

This year, Nash became the first girls’ volleyball player at the academy to achieve 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs.

Earlier this month, the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools named Nash conference Player of the Year and Ross conference Coach of the Year.

Caylin Harris grabbed the spotlight in the title match with career bests in kills (21) and blocks (6). For the year, she accumulated 385 kills, 40 aces, 100 digs and 75 blocks.

She made second team all-state last year, putting first team in her sights entering this year. “It’s just the goal that I’ve had from the beginning,” she said.

“Caylin is so strong, and she just keeps getting better every year,” Ross stated. “I thought she was the best middle in TCIS last year, and this year she absolutely dominated in the middle. She has the ability to change the momentum of the game with a swing of her arm, and I never get tired of watching her.”

Harris also made the all-TCIS first team.

Brooks Gillerlain had the unenviable position of taking over for recently graduated all-state first teamer Quinby Hines, but she proved a worthy successor. Gillerlain racked up 1,216 assists, 200 digs and 28 aces.

“I really wanted to get first team all-state, so I’m glad I fulfilled my goal,” she said.

Ross praised Gillerlain’s mental toughness at setter.

“It’s definitely the position I put the most pressure on, and she shouldered all that responsibility this year and has earned all the recognition she has received,” Ross stated.

Gillerlain also made the all-TCIS second team.

Ross always wanted a fighter for a libero and decided Bridget Murphy fit the mold. The state committee agreed.

“It feels really good,” Murphy said of receiving her first state-level recognition in her first year playing libero.

“I love watching the faces of the other team and hearing the gasp that comes from the crowd when Bridget gets an amazing dig and takes a kill away from them,” Ross stated.

Murphy ended up with 519 digs, 256 serve receptions, 26 aces and 23 assists for the year.