The game plan all season for Seabury Academy’s volleyball team has been simple: learn, learn, learn.

There has been much for the Seahawks (4-11) to learn, too.

New coach Craig Friedrichsen implemented a new up-tempo system that has taken a while to adjust to. Plus, most of the squad never played varsity prior to this year, so virtually every experience is a first for the team.

The Seahawks’ latest lesson came Tuesday night at the Seabury triangular where they swept the Kansas School for the Deaf, 25-7, 25-18, before falling 25-14, 25-7 to undefeated Barstow (9-0).

Seabury’s junior varsity squad was swept 25-20, 25-12 by the Barstow JV.

To be certain, it wasn’t Seabury’s best effort of the year, but Friedrichsen said he saw plenty of positive strides in both matches.

“We have a lot of fun with it when we’re playing well,” he said, “and we have to learn to fight through the times when we’re not playing well so that we can have more fun. I tell parents all the time, it’s a simple game, but it’s not easy.”

The only easy moment for the Seahawks came in Game One of the match against KSD. They raced to a 6-0 lead behind a pair of kills by sophomore Lindsey Ahlen.

Six aces by junior Elise Stella during a seven-point spurt pressed the Seabury lead to 18-2 and put the contest well out of reach.

Seabury Academy's Laura Hoffman returns a serve against Kansas School for the Deaf. Seabury defeated KSD, 25-7, 25-18, Tuesday night at Seabury.

Seabury opened Game Two with a 4-0 lead before KSD struck back. Marie Qualls’ endless hustle kept points alive before a pair of aces by Lindsey Stadler tied the match at 15.

That’s when Seabury turned to its serving to provide the answer again. Kayla LaFever dropped two aces and Stella added three more to put the match away.

Things that went right for the Seahawks against KSD went wrong against Barstow.

The Knights exploded to 8-2 advantages in both games while the Seahawks struggled to return serves and find timing on their kills.

Meanwhile, Barstow’s all-around efficiency supported its sparkling record. Becky Blair pounded nine kills for the Knights, while Mallory Selzer added three aces.

Blair and Jessica Kincaid were equally daunting defensively, combining for multiple blocks.

“I think that we’re getting closer,” Friedrichsen said, “but tonight against Barstow we just didn’t play well. Barstow was a terrific team, but they caught us really flat for some reason.”

Still, Seabury showed glimpses of progress against the Knights, such as when Stella connected with Ahlen twice in a row for kills down the line, and Barstow coach Fritz Gabler was quick to take notice.

“It takes a little bit of time to build a program,” Gabler said, “but they’ve got some good ball players out there like that No. 4 (Ahlen). She hits the heck out of the ball.

“They’re gonna win a lot of games before it’s all said and done.”