YARMOUTH—The calendar has flipped to October and that means the Yarmouth volleyball team is gearing up for another run at a Gold Ball.
Much to the chagrin of everyone else in Class B.
Wednesday evening on their homecourt, the Clippers played host to a talented York squad and while they got pushed, they pushed back and earned a key late-season victory.
The Wildcats had Yarmouth down, 15-11, in the first set, but the Clippers roared back behind the service of sophomore Norah Lushman to prevail, 25-22.
Yarmouth then raced to an 8-2 lead in the second game and after York rallied to tie it up, the Clippers gradually pulled away for a 25-18 victory, which was punctuated by a kill from junior Annie Vinnakota.
Yarmouth refused to let the Wildcats entertain any comeback hopes in the third set, taking a 15-4 lead, and they went on to win, 25-14, bringing the curtain down on an impressive 3-0 victory.
The Clippers improved to 10-1 on the season, solidified their hold on the top spot in the Class B state Heal Points standings and in the process, dropped York to 9-2.
“There were a lot of matches where York wasn’t challenged, but I saw them handle Cape, so I knew they were good,” said longtime Yarmouth coach Jim Senecal. “These matches are nerve-wracking, but to watch the girls rise up and play at the level they played tonight, it was good to see.”
Still the one
The Clippers’ quest for a fourth consecutive Class B championship has gone very well, with one exception, this fall.
Yarmouth won its first two matches in straight sets, at Falmouth and Cape Elizabeth, then defeated visiting Greely in four. After a 3-0 victory at Gray-New Gloucester, the Clippers blanked visiting South Portland and host Cheverus. Yarmouth finally met its match in visiting Scarborough, the reigning Class A champion, and its 38-match win streak was snapped in four-games.
The Clippers chose to look at that setback as a learning opportunity.
“The Scarborough loss was good because we learned what we need to work on,” said Bri Torres, Yarmouth’s senior libero and a team captain. “The only time you learn from your mistakes is when you lose.”
The Clippers then bounced back to defeat visiting Wells, host Brewer and visiting Falmouth by a 3-0 score.
York, meanwhile, burst out of the gates with eight consecutive victories, losing just one set along the way. Last Thursday, however, the Wildcats were knocked from the unbeaten ranks by Gray-New Gloucester, 3-2. York bounced back to sweep Greely Monday.
Last year, Yarmouth won both meetings in straight-sets.
Wednesday, the Clippers did it again, but they got pushed in the process.
Senior Alla Elhai serves the ball for Yarmouth during Wednesday’s 3-0 home win over York. Hoffer photos.
Yarmouth set the tone right away when senior Dorcas Bolese soared for a kill and senior Alla Elhai followed with an ace, but the Wildcats hung tough and took the lead for the first time at 8-7 on an ace from sophomore Lauren Chagnon. A kill from sophomore Brooke Roe and an ace from sophomore Nora Dowling stretched York’s advantage to 15-11, but after a Senecal timeout, the Clippers roared back, rattling off seven straight points, six coming on the service of Lushman, who had a pair of aces, while Vinnakota and freshman Grace Keaney delivered kills. The Wildcats crept back as close as 23-22 on an ace from senior Maryem Set, but York’s subsequent serve was barely out for a fault and sophomore Madi Beaudoin served up on ace to give Yarmouth a 25-22 win.
“That first set, I was watching the way they were covering our hitters,” Senecal said, of the Wildcats. “We were blocking very well and they were under every one. We’re a team that blocks a lot of shots and they knew what we were going to do. They serve very well and play with a lot of energy.”
The second game was close as well, but again, the Clippers did enough to capture it.
Yarmouth scored the first four points, as senior Leila Tati Pambou had a block and Elhai served up another ace. After the Wildcats got the next two points, the Clippers went up 8-2 behind kills from Vinnakota and Bolese and another ace from Beaudoin, but York answered and tied it up, 9-9, on an ace from Dowling. The Wildcats couldn’t go ahead, however, and consecutive aces from sophomore Laila Brewer gave Yarmouth the lead for good, 13-9. York crept back within one at 13-12, but kills from Keaney and Bolese made it 18-13. The Wildcats made it 19-16 on an ace from Sat, but a kill from Tati Pambou pushed the Clippers to the brink and Vinnakota’s kill ended the set, 25-18, and gave Yarmouth a commanding lead in the match.
The Clippers didn’t waste any time putting it away in the third set.
York erased an early two-point deficit and tied it, 2-2, on a kill from Sat, followed by a Sat ace, but a kill from Bolese put Yarmouth ahead to stay. Beaudoin then served up a couple aces and after Torres delivered an ace, she made a dazzling save, going to the floor to keep play alive, before the Clippers won the point to make it 13-4.
“I love going to the floor,” Torres said. “I love putting myself in situations that other people can’t.”
“Bri was everywhere again,” said Senecal. “She’s just all over the court. She probably doesn’t get the recognition she should, but she does a nice job for us.”
A couple Keaney blocks and a kill from Vinnakota made it 17-5. The Wildcats drew back within 10 at 19-9, but two Vinnakota kills and an ace from Beaudoin pushed the lead to 23-10. After the teams traded points, York refused to go quietly, pulling within 24-14, but on the final point, the Wildcats couldn’t return the ball and Yarmouth had a 25-14 victory, clinching the match.
Yarmouth celebrates its latest victory.
“I was definitely expecting a close match,” said Torres. “We have similar stats. I knew they’d be just as gritty as us, keeping the ball off the floor and keeping rallies alive. At the beginning of the season, we had a lot to work with with younger players moving up from JV to varsity. That’s a big jump, but I feel like they’re filling in nicely. Whatever the challenge, we can rise to the occasion.”
Bolese and Vinnakota brought the power with nine kills apiece.
Elhai had a dozen assists and six service points.
Lushman finished with nine service points.
Beaudoin tallied a dozen service points, with five aces.
Keaney added four kills and three blocks.
“We try to focus on Dorcas when we can because she has so much power,” Senecal said. “Annie, once again tonight, was strong when we needed her. We love to set Laila when it’s the right time too. (Senior) Sam Beaudoin came up and played well. She’s been injured this year, but she’s coming back as our second outside hitter. She brought an aggressive swing tonight that really helped us. Our setters are in a good spot to hit that right side and they did. Our defense played great too.”
For York, Roe had four kills and four service points, Sat finished with three kills and three aces and Dowling tallied 10 assists and seven service points.
Finishing up
The regular season has just over a week to go and the teams will see each other at least once more.
York looks to bounce back Saturday when it hosts Westbrook. The Wildcats then welcome Sanford and Yarmouth to close.
The Clippers have a key home showdown versus Cape Elizabeth Friday, go to Windham Tuesday, then finish at York Oct. 17.
“I think we just have to keep playing our game and bringing the energy Yarmouth can bring,” Torres said. ” I think our hustle and tenacity are there. If we keep persevering and having grit, we can make it to states again.”
“We have to go down (to York) next week and I don’t think it will be the same,” said Senecal. “It will be a tough, intense match. There are a lot of good teams, so we’ll see how it goes. It would be foolish to say we don’t have a chance, but any team could get us. I like where we are, but we’ll have to come in ready to go.”
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports
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