Gardiner volleyball coach Tiffany Grover was unsure of what to expect heading into the 2021 season. It had been almost half a year since players had picked up a volleyball, and almost two years since they had played in a meaningful match.

“We played in a tournament before the season began in Brewer and went 8-0,” said Grover. “When that happened, I thought to myself, ‘oh OK, maybe we’ll be really good”.

And that the Tigers were.

Gardiner went 14-0 in the regular season and 16-1 overall before falling to Cape Elizabeth in the Class B state semifinals.

“It was a tough ending but we kept our heads up knowing what we accomplished during the season,” said Grover. “We worked hard all season knowing we played our best, we lost to the better team on that day.”

Despite no 2020 fall season because of the coronavirus pandemic, teams were permitted to play up to 10 matches in a five-week span last March and April — but there would be no postseason.

“I think we benefited from that mini-season we were able to have in the spring,” Grover added. “It allowed us to mesh together again and sharpen our skills before the fall.”

Led by Emily Folsom and Lizzy Gruber — the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference player of the year — the Tigers dropped just two sets in the regular season and just five all fall.

“When Emily (Folsom) went back to the service line, it was sort of like a sigh of relief knowing we’d get some points from her serving,” said Grover. “Having a player like her in the back and with a powerful player Lizzy (Gruber) in the front, it was rare to get a shot past her.”

Across central Maine, several teams showed marked improvement.

Cony enjoyed a strong season, going 6-8 before falling to Ellsworth in the Class B preliminary round.

“We had an improvement from years past,” said Cony head coach Lindsey Morin. “With that being said, we feel like there were some matches that we could’ve won.”

The Rams were led by Zainab Al Braihi — who was selected for KVAC 1st team — as well as Kylie Quinn, Ashley Tobias, and Avery Theriault.

“We were able to find a groove as the season progressed,” added Morin. “Challenges for us were having our power hits and serves to stay in the court, finding the balance of a hard hit with some good placement was tough for us at times.”

Messalonskee (7-7), Brunswick/Mt. Ararat (5-9), and Nokomis (4-10) also benefited from the shortened spring season, too.

The Eagles finished No. 11 in the regular season and fell in the Class B preliminary round to Greely, 3-1. Brunswick/Mt. Ararat earned the No. 12 seed in Class A and fell to No. 5 Bonny Eagle in the state preliminary round. The No. 12 Warriors fell in the Class B preliminary round in four sets to No. 5 Mount Desert Island.

While this season returned somewhat to normalcy, teams still faced challenges and obstacles. Masks were worn at all times during play and COVID-19 protocols remained in play. With uncertainty lingering from one day to the next, coaches and players made the necessary adjustments.

“We were pretty fortunate to be healthy for the most part during the season, but things didn’t come easy,” said Grover. “We mixed up some rotations and positions when we needed to and in the end, I believe those changes made us a stronger team.”

Cony dealt with some injuries throughout the season.

“We had to move some girls around when some girls went out,” said Morin. “The girls were able to adapt to positional changes as well as continuing to wear masks during competition.”

Cape Elizabeth would lose to Yarmouth in a five-set thriller in the Class B final. Scarborough topped Biddeford to claim the Class A championship while Washington Academy beat George Stevens Academy to win the Class C title.

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