Nansemond-Suffolk Academy’s girls’ soccer team lost its conference opener to Norfolk Collegiate Monday afternoon.

NSA is now 4-2 after losing 4-1 to Norfolk Collegiate at home. Overall, Lady Saints coach J. Michael Dick believes his team performed well and that the score wasn’t indicative to how good or bad the Lady Saints were.

In the first 15 seconds of the game, NSA lost one of their top defenders in Kirtley Arnold, which made the adjustment tough for the Lady Saints. They had multiple opportunities to close the gap on Norfolk Collegiate’s lead but ultimately couldn’t. Lindsay Knierbein had the only goal for the Lady Saints, assisted by Abby Herrod.

“They have a very strong team with some very strong players,” Dick said. “Hopefully, we’ll get another crack at them in the TCIS tournament.”

Though NSA dropped its first conference game, they don’t feel there’s a need to panic.

“I’m disappointed in the outcome but not in our overall level of play,” he said. “There is a lot of things that can go on in the course of a game. I think we will be fine.”

With Arnold’s status unsure, Dick wants to find the best way his team can be successful and adjust.

“It kind of throws your whole game plan out the window,” he said. “You have to juggle people around. We have a tough task with Bishop Sullivan coming up. Assuming we are healthy in the next week or two, it will tell us about how competitive we are.”

NSA will take on Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School at home at 4:30 p.m.