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BIDDEFORD – Find the holes in the defense.

That’s what Ruth Shaw, the coach of Biddeford High’s unbeaten volleyball team, has been stressing to her players for weeks. Find the defensive blockers, then find the holes.

Wednesday night, it all clicked for the Tigers. Top-ranked Biddeford advanced to its second Class A state volleyball championship match by overpowering No. 5 Gorham in three sets, 25-19, 25-16 and 25-10.

Biddeford never trailed at the raucous Steve White Gym. Gorham tied the Tigers 2-2 in the first set and 1-1 in the third, but never was able to pass Biddeford.

“We never got down,” said Bailey Cote, an opposite hitter for the Tigers. “The whole team, as one, was pumped up the whole time.”

Biddeford (15-0) will play Greely (14-2) in the state championship match at 7 p.m. Saturday at Husson University in Bangor.

“It’s exciting,” said Shaw. “It’s thrilling. We’re ready to go. We’re ready to get on the bus now and go play. We are so together right now. We’re strong, mentally and physically.”

The Tigers made few service errors, dominated the play at the net with kill shots or tips, and returned almost everything Gorham’s players gave them.

“They work hard, they’re a great team,” said Gorham Coach Lisa Curley. “They play confident. They’re a class act, they come in and they’re ready to play ball.”

The Tigers received outstanding play from their senior duo of setter Mariah Hebert and opposite hitter Katelyn Lebreux.

Hebert had 24 assists and scored 13 service points with one error. Lebreux was 21-of-21 serving, and had seven kills (most from the left side of the court) and one blocked shot.

But they had plenty of help.

Autumn Dube had nine kills and two blocks. Cote had 18 service points (with two aces), five kills and two blocks. Freshman Jocelyn Moody was 8-of-8 serving with six kills.

Most impressive was the way they found holes in Gorham’s defense, which, led by libero Samantha Robinson, was spectacular at times, but could only hold off the Tigers for so long.

“Just read their defense, keep them on their toes,” said Lebreux. “Just go for the win. We needed the points.”

Shaw said the team concentrated on finding the holes in the Rams’ defense all week.

“Their defense set up two blockers on Autumn and on Bailey,” said Shaw. “We were working on that all week, sending the ball to that corner where the blocker came from. We worked hard looking at the defense: where are the blockers and where was the libero set up.”

Dube, a senior, got the Tigers untracked with a dominating stretch early in the first set: two blocks and three kills to give Biddeford an 8-4 lead.

From there the Tigers kept finding the open spot on the court and looked stronger as the match progressed.

“The first time we played them they tipped us to death,” said Gorham’s Curley. “So we really worked hard on covering the tip. And then they started swinging (the ball), which is why they’re such a great team. Not only are they athletic but they play really smart.”

Staff Writer Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or at:

mlowe@pressherald.com

Twitter: MikeLowePPH