Cony’s Olivia Olson, left, hits the ball over as Kennebunk’s Sabine Smithwick, center, and Iris MacDonald wait on defense during Thursday’s Class B volleyball prelim match in Augusta. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

AUGUSTA — The Kennebunk volleyball team knew it had no pressure entering its Class B preliminary match on Thursday night, entering the match as a No. 13 seed.

Its goal was simple: Focus and win one point at a time.

The Rams did that, and in the process, swept No. 4 Cony, 3-0.

“We’re really excited,” said Kennebunk senior captain Talia Kellum, who had three spikes in the third set to help seal the match. “We were definitely the underdogs, but I think we work really well together as a team. We did what we needed to, and that (was the mindset) going into it. And if anybody was down, lift your teammate up.”

Kennebunk (9-6) cruised through the first two sets, with 25-17 and 25-20 victories. The visiting Rams went back and forth with Cony (12-3) throughout the third set, with Cony at one point holding a 17-12 lead. But Kennebunk fought back, with contributions from Kellum, senior Mikayla Kimball and sophomore Clare Haley.

“I just tried to get them focused on one point (at a time),” Kennebunk Coach Michael Morrison said. “We can’t worry about the point behind or the point ahead, just the point we’re in. And we started that right from the beginning. … The girls are really getting (that message) this year and towards the end of the season especially, we’ve got them on a run. Talent-wise, we’re all set. It’s just that mental game.”

With the score tied 20-20, the visitors won the next five points. A spike from Kellum sealed the set and the match for Kennebunk.

Kennebunk’s Iris MacDonald, left, spikes as Cony’s Addison Lebel jumps to try and block during Thursday’s Class B volleyball prelim match in Augusta. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

“My setter, Charlotte MacDonald, she’s awesome,” Kellum said. “She has awesome hands and beautiful sets. I wanted (the win), the whole team wanted it, and we proved it.”

Added Morrison: “Communication (on the floor) during the last four weeks has been key. They’ve always been a good communicating team, but the last four weeks has been nuts out there. … That (factor) excites me, because we push that all the time.”

Cony, which had its best record in program history and had recently won the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference championship, was led by the play of senior Addison Lebel, the KVAC Player of the Year. Junior Rhya Turner had a strong match for the Rams, at one point collecting three consecutive aces in the third set.

“It’s not the outcome they wanted, but it doesn’t take away everything they’ve accomplished this year,” Cony Coach Lindsey Morin said. “Best record in school history, being the No. 1 seed at KVACs, winning (the KVAC title), having the player of the year. There’s so many accomplishments. We’re going to have a lot of young players next year, so we’ll have a lot to build off of. … It’s a great year, and they should be very proud of themselves.”