Royals volleyball wins ESIAC title over Holly Grove

The Royals won their sixth straight ESIAC Championship. They are in back (l-r) assistant coach Leslie Heinrichs, Tessa Kwiatkowski, Ellie Millaway, Lily Fetterman, Valencia-Lydel Mbuagbaw, Elaina Millaway, Kathleen Zarebicki, Maggie Kwiatkowski, Evelyn Jensen, Karoline Carey and head coach Jim Berger. In front are Makayla Heinrichs, Olivia Giltner, Emily Jones and Sierra Troyer. The team took off their masks briefly for the picture. DAN COOK PHOTOS

Dan Cook

November 3, 2021

The Delmarva Christian HS volleyball team won its sixth straight ESIAC championship with a 25-18, 25-12 and 25-18 victory over Holly Grove Christian School Nov. 1.

The Royals went out quickly and never looked back, with senior Sierra Troyer leading the way with double-double 11 kills and 10 digs. Freshman Elaina Millaway slammed seven kills, bumped 10 digs and served two aces. Tessa Kwiatkowski set 19 assists, while libero Lily Fetterman bumped seven digs and served two aces. Senior Olivia Giltner slammed five kills. Junior Ellie Millaway had four kills and two aces, and roofed two blocks. Evelyn Jensen had three kills, three blocks, two digs and an ace. Karoline Carey, Maggie Kwiatkowski, Valencia-Lydel Mbuagbaw and Emily Jones teamed for two kills, an ace, two blocks, two digs and an assist.

“It’s not getting old,” said Royals coach Jim Berger, who has the six championships notched on his belt. “It’s something the girls look forward to every year, and it’s something for them to set a goal for at the beginning of the season. This championship was one of our goals. We’ve met most of them along the way this season. One of our goals was to get past the second round in the state tournament. So maybe this will give us a little momentum.”

Troyer garnered ESIAC Player of the Year honors for the second year in a row. She and Millaway, Fetterman and Giltner also received ESIAC All-Conference honors, and Jensen was given honorable mention All-ESIAC.

“We love being a part of the ESIAC conference,” said Berger. “We cannot enter the Henlopen Conference due to their bylaws, and every other conference in the state is way too far for us.”

The Royals have a first-round bye in the DIAA state tournament and will host the winner of Caravel and MOT Charter at 6:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 6, at Delmarva Christian.