Blue Hill—The George Stevens Academy volleyball team is on a path to the playoffs after winning three matches in as many days, one against Bucksport on September 27 and two in a doubleheader against Lee/Mattanawcook on September 29.
The team is currently 6-6, good for a seventh-place spot in the Class C North standings. Co-coach Bonnie Marckoon said one of the biggest goals going into the last two matches of the season is to come out without any more losses.
Those two matches are against Narraguagus, who the Eagles beat earlier in the season in a tough 3-2 match, and Calais, the number one team in Class C North.
Marckoon said that the team has started to gel over the last couple of weeks, which has contributed to their recent success, as well as some positional moves within the lineup.
George Stevens Academy fans are all in white as part of a fundraiser during the volleyball team’s match against Bucksport on September 27. Courtesy of Mark Messer
“We have moved Sophie Peasley to the libero position [defensive specialist] and she has been very strong in the back row for us,” said Marckoon.
Also stepping up from the service position is Lillie Maier who is 97 percent from the service line this season, while freshmen Evelyn Dagan and Sophia Biggie, who play the setter and outside hitter positions, respectively, have been sound contributors to the team.
“We have solid hopes going into the postseason,” said Marckoon. “Our plan is to fight for every point and make good decisions during every rotation.”
Some of the highlights so far this season have been the Narraguagus match, which went to five sets and was capped off with a kill by Juliette Claybaugh after Erika Hipsky served out the match, and taking Bucksport to four sets to get the win last week.
“We have focused on working together as a team by building trust and friendships along the way, as we have many new members this year,” said Marckoon.
George Stevens Academy will take on Narraguagus on the road on October 4 before closing out the season home against Calais on October 10. The home match is scheduled for 6 p.m.