The match they’ve been working toward all year is at hand for the Gorham volleyball team.
Today (Oct. 26) at 6 p.m. the Rams meet Greely in Cumberland for the western Maine final.
Gorham advanced to the regional championship by topping Biddeford, 3-1 (25-20, 26-28, 25-21, 25-9), at home Saturday. The Tigers hung on through the first three games, but then were steamrolled in the finale.
“We were all really nervous when we came out,” said Rams hitter Lindsay Hansen, “but we definitely represented well and played hard.”
Gorham served effectively and frequently tapped the ball over softly when they appeared to be setting up for a smash.
“Their tips threw us off because we were ready for the big hit,” said Biddeford’s Krystal Kimborowicz.
Tied 20-20 in the opening game, the Rams got the ball back and outside hitter Renate Guyer served out the last four points, including an ace.
Another Guyer ace gave her team an 11-6 lead in the second game, but the Tigers fought back to tie the score at 16. Kimborowicz did her best to block several of her opponents’ slams and Biddeford took the second game.
Gorham was again up early in the third game, but let the visitors back in the contest. At 15-15, one game all, the outcome of the match was still up in the air, but the Rams stepped up and dominated the action the rest of the way.
“It was a disappointing loss,” said Tigers coach Ruth Shaw. “We didn’t play to our level.”
The victory was a team effort as Guyer (six aces and five digs), Hansen (five kills, four blocks and two digs), Morgan Carlson (eight blocks, six kills and five digs) and Megan Bilodeau (seven kills) all had impressive numbers.
“Communication (was key)” said Bilodeau, “and getting the ball to the center so we could get the kill.”
Gorham will need to play their best match of the year to compete with Greely, the owners of a 47-match winning streak.
The two squads met in last year’s regional championship, and the Rangers swept the best-of-five series on their way to the state title. Gorham averaged just nine points per game in the match.
This year the rivals played three times and Greely came out on top in each, but the Rams scored progressively more points – averaging 15.0, 18.7 and 21.0 per game – on each occasion, even taking a game on Oct. 6, the most recent meeting.
“I think they’re beatable,” said Gorham coach Shari Chapman, “and I think my girls can do it. They’re getting more confident, they’re getting more comfortable on the court and I think they can do it. I think they can beat anybody.”
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