BIDDEFORD — The focus this fall for the Biddeford High volleyball team hasn’t been passing. Nor has it been serves, or digs or kills.

“In practice and in games, we talk a lot about our mental game,” Coach Andrew Glenn said. “The emphasis for the season has been keeping our game on our side of the court in our heads, and owning every part of the game.”

It’s been on display in the early portion of the season, including Tuesday night, when the Tigers improved their record to 5-0 with a 3-1 victory over Scarborough. Biddeford dropped the first set, 26-24, but battled back to win the next three, 25-11, 25-18 and 25-21.

A team that was supposed to run into some growing pains with a new coach and a hole left by the graduation of two-time Gatorade Player of the Year Danielle Emerson has instead been flourishing. The Tigers have won 15 of the 19 sets they’ve played so far.

“I think in the beginning, we were all kind of nervous with a new coach and players leaving,” junior outside hitter Maeve Donovan said. “But we really came together, and now we’re working together and figuring all of our positions out as a team. We think we can do it.”

Scarborough (3-2), led by five kills from Alison Canatsey and four from Olivia Ingream, couldn’t carry its momentum from the first set.

“I think we came out really strong and stuck to our game plan, which was serving tough and being aggressive as often as possible,” Scarborough Coach Nicole Petherbridge said. “I think especially in the second and third set, we lost our ball control a little bit, our passing and serve receive. That allows us to be aggressive offensively. We were giving them free balls and they were allowed to run their offense.”

Glenn likewise said the service game proved key for his team. The Tigers have flourished on the attack all year, but they won Tuesday by handling Scarborough serves, preventing the Red Storm from going on runs, and playing tight defense. Clarice Cote led Biddeford’s service game with eight aces.

“Our serve receive is hugely improved from the first practice,” Glenn said. “It’s making a huge difference against teams like Scarborough, teams like Thornton (Academy), teams like Falmouth who really serve well. We’ve been able to keep ourselves in these sets.”

Beks Hatch, Biddeford’s libero, led the tight Tigers defense with 26 digs.

“She’s insane,” Donovan said. “She’s probably one of the most underrated liberos in the state. She deserves everything that’s coming her way, she’s amazing.”

That mental toughness Glenn has worked hard to instill served the Tigers well, too. Scarborough prevailed in the lengthy first set, but Biddeford quickly seized momentum in the second, grabbing a 9-3 lead on the strength of serves from Cote and Gabrielle Diggins.

“We get down sometimes, but we just don’t care (about) mistakes on the court,” said sophomore middle blocker Brynn Wilkerson, who teamed with Donovan to give the Tigers a 1-2 punch at the net. “We persevere. We want it so bad. We want to keep our undefeated streak so bad.”

Scarborough proved tough to put away in the fourth set, winning two straight points to cut its deficit to 23-21. Glenn called timeout to let his players catch their breath and focus them for a final push.

“I (said), in the timeout, ‘Somebody has to block a ball,'” he said.

The team delivered, as Hatch came up with a superb dig to help win the 24th point, and Wilkerson stepped up for a block and kill to win it.

Mental toughness, once again.

“It’s all mental,” Wilkerson said. “Skill definitely has a part in it, but when it comes down to it, (it’s) 100% mentality.”