The Scarborough and Kennebunk High volleyball teams matched each other point for point in last Thursday’s contest at Kennebunk. And when all was said and done, the Rams edged the Red Storm by the slimmest of margins to secure a 3-0 victory.

Kennebunk outlasted Scarborough in the first set by a 25-23 score and the teams went eye-to-eye again in set two, with the Rams squeaking by the visitors 26-24. The Rams raced to a 16-8 lead in set three before Scarborough rallied to pull ahead by a 24-21 margin, but the Rams scored the next five points to finish off what was a well-played match by both squads.

“The whole match was as tight as could be – going back and forth and very tight at the end,” said Scarborough coach Jody King. “We came back very strongly (in the third set). But they (Kennebunk) did a nice job and got their serves in at the end.”

The Red Storm started last week at 3-4 and they were ranked No. 6 in the most recent Western Maine Heal Point standings. The top seven teams in the region get into the post-season tourney and Scarborough would like nothing better than to make their fourth straight playoff appearance.

“We’ve been close in every single match and our record isn’t what we want it to be,” said King. “We even gave (undefeated) Greely a run.”

At Kennebunk, the Red Storm had solid efforts from seniors Katrina Curneil and Caitlin Cleary. “She’s a great server and setter for us,” King said about Curneil, whose serves fueled the Storm comeback in set three. “And Caitlin’s a strong server, setter, and passer – a very strong all-around player.”

Fellow seniors Melissa Bowen, Catie Funk and Kelsey Webber also played well. The rest of the varsity team includes juniors Caroline Baker, Christina Chase, Paige Conley, Christie Edwards, Abby Lalone, Kathleen O’Donnell and Laura Suarez-Rodriguez.

“They were hanging their heads (after falling way behind in set three), but they picked it up,” King said. “I have a young group and it’s just getting them to believe in each other and themselves.”

Inexperience has hurt the Storm this season, especially in close matches like the loss at Kennebunk, but King knows the girls are getting stronger under game conditions with each passing week of the season. “I had 10 graduate (from last year’s team) so I have eight new players on the varsity,” said King. “We have awesome energy in our practices but we’re having a problem with nerves (during matches).”

The Red Storm was scheduled to play at Gorham on Tuesday (after the Current’s deadline) and they travel to face top-seeded Greely Thursday evening before returning home for a match with Cony on Friday evening at 7:15 p.m. at Alumni Gym.

Scarborough will close out the regular season next week with matches against Falmouth and Yarmouth.

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