FELCH TOWNSHIP — A highly competitive match for the final two sets came down to the home team playing with a bit more consistency throughout, as North Dickinson defeated Carney-Nadeau, 3-0 (25-10, 25-20, 25-23) Thursday night at the Carl F. Lemin Jr. Gymnasium in Felch.

The Nordics came out of the gates hitting the ball hard, serving the ball hard and communicating well. North Dickinson also controlled the tempo of the set, which also had the Wolves reeling, with the Nordics getting out to a 16-7 lead, prompting Wolves coach Steve Kedsch to call a time out.

“We weren’t sure what to expect from this team because Carney is always fundamentally strong,” said North Dickinson head coach Taylor Johnson. “We felt we had something to prove tonight because the last time we played them, which was here also, they knocked us out of the tournament and ended our season.”

The C-N timeout was to no avail, as North Dickinson cruised to a 15-point win in the opening set. Set two almost appeared to be completely opposite of set one, with the Wolves’ communication, ball placement and floor movement getting a large boost.

“We started off a little slow tonight, and like tonight, we’ve struggled with consistency this season,” said Kedsch. “The girls did pick it up and play better as the night went on. North Dickinson is a good team, and in the last two sets, we were competitive with them.”

The back and forth nature of the second set kept the score tied, literally all the way until it was 14-14. At that point, the aforementioned consistency of the Nordics turned the tide in the set, as their strong serving powered them down the stretch, as they took a five-point win.

The final set was as competitive as the second set, despite the Nordics getting out to an early 5-1 lead. The Wolves crawled back into contention in the set, as the Nordics got a bit lethargic, with C-N taking a 9-7 lead, extending it to 12-8.

After a Nordics timeout, the home team charged back outscoring the Wolves, 6-4 to narrow the visitors lead to 16-14. And then, like in the previous set, the Nordics crept back in down the stretch, though the Wolves kept the score close all the way to the final point.

“I am proud of the girls tonight, despite getting a bit complacent and lethargic at times, we pulled together and got the win,” Johnson said. “The girls didn’t get mad at themselves or at one another. They showed resilience and stayed upbeat and encouraging.”

With the score tied at 23-23, a Carney-Nadeau miscue gave the Nordics the ball back with a one-point lead and a chance to win the match. Senior Chrislyn Inglese blasted her serve deep into the Wolves side of the floor, causing them to misplay the ball, giving the Nordics the set and match-clinching point.

“We had some nice individual plays at times tonight. Some nice digs, some nice blocks and hits. We’ll strive for better consistency for November,” Kedsch added.

The Nordics visit Forest Park Thursday. C-N hosts Norway Tuesday.