Skippers Edge Bolts 3-2

The North Kingstown High boys’ volleyball team was able to recover from a fourth game slip-up to take a 3-2 victory over Cranston High School East Wednesday at A. Lenore Cranston Gymnasium.

“At times we played well tonight, but we just made too many unforced errors,” Cranston East head coach Tom Ferri said. “I think both sides did, but I think we made more than they did.”

Holding a two games to one lead in the fourth the Skippers were able to survive a match point at 25-24 to turn it around on the Thunderbolts and grab a 26-25 lead.

North Kingstown was unable to close out Cranston East on the ensuing point, however, as a kill attempt from senior Neil Hourahan landed just out of bounds. 

The Skippers would not get another opportunity to take the game, as the Bolts tied the game on the next play off a nice tip from senior Billy Chen just over the Skippers’ block.

During the final few points the Bolts’ were led by the play of Chen at the net and the fundamental game of senior Chai Kue.

“[Kue] is a smart player. He’s kind of underrated, but he knows how to play volleyball,” Ferri said.  “He’s our number one setter, and he’s got one heck of a serve.”

Cranston East took the fourth game and momentum on the next point, as North Kingstown mishandled the serve and looked out of synch the entire possession.

“There was lots of frustration. We knew from that start that we didn’t want to take it to a fifth game and we shouldn’t have,” senior Sam Hall-Stinson said.

Despite momentum appearing to be on the side of the Bolts, the Skippers rallied in between games and took control of the fifth from the first point.

“After having won that it goes to the fifth game, and we just didn’t have enough I guess,” Ferri said. “You always have momentum when you win the last one, but we just didn’t come out strong.” 

North Kingstown never trailed in the fifth game, and scored five of the game’s final six points to take a 15-10 victory. 

“Coming into this game we knew it was one we needed to win because we have been struggling a lot,” Hall-Stinson said.  “We were really focusing on pushing hard, it was a real big win for us.”

While the Skippers may have won the match, they were dealt a significant blow when junior middle hitter Mike Scott went down with an ankle injury and did not return.

“He’s going to be alright,” North Kingstown head coach Joanne Fitts said. “That’s the nice thing about this team though, they’re great guys, they work hard and we have depth.”

Fortunately for the Skippers their depth was able to come through as junior Brandon Simeone, usually one of the team’s outside hitters, slid into the middle and covered Scott’s position seamlessly.  Ultimately he finished with six kills and three blocks.

“Brandon Simeone went right in there and filled the spot very nicely,” Fitts said.  “He’s just an athlete that loves to push, and he will go in and get the job done.”

Hall-Stinson led the Skippers statistically, finishing with eight digs and 18 kills, while junior Brenton Bauerle had five digs, seven kills, five blocks and 56 assists.  Hourahan added five digs and 14 kills, and junior Adam Howe had three digs, six kills and six blocks.

The Bolts have also been battling through some injuries, as they have been missing one of their top hitters in junior Kegan Moody with an ankle injury and just recently got junior Kenny Chea back into the lineup.

“[Chea] just came back a few games ago. He was hurt most of the season, and he really blocked well tonight,” Ferri said.  “I don’t know if Kegan’s coming back this year, but I hope he does.  He’s a strong player and we definitely miss him.”

The Skippers (5-6 Division-I, 6-6 overall) will have a chance to firmly plant themselves in fourth place in the division when they take on La Salle Academy Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at the McLaughlin Athletic Center.

“We need to clear our heads. We need to not make as many unforced errors, because that’s really what has been killing us in all of our losses,” Hall-Stinson said. 

After each of Cranston East’s (3-7 D-I, 5-7 overall) last three matches have gone five games, the Bolts will look to take care of business early on when they host South Kingstown High Friday at 6:30 p.m.