Matt McCarthy/The Daily News NORWAY’S OLIVIA STANCHINA goes airborne at the net as Emma Anderson (left) and Cassidy Menard (10) look on. Forest Park’s Sydney Honkala (4) and Mercedes Simmons (11) defend Thursday in a Skyline Conference volleyball game at Norway.

NORWAY — Height up front to go along with experienced players at the net made the difference Thursday night as Forest Park defeated Norway 3-0 (25-17, 27-25, 25-7) in Skyline Conference volleyball.

“I think overall our ball control in the first two sets was the reason we struggled,” FP head coach Ana Valesano said. “We got it together in the final set. When Mercedes (Simmons) is in the front row, she’s our dominant force and it usually shows, as it did tonight. The second set was a battle, but we worked together and pulled it out in the end.”

Valesano also gave credit to Norway’s players for being in good defensive position during the first two sets to offset FP’s usual game plan.

In set No. 1, Norway’s Cassidy Menard was serving during the Knights’ six-point scoring run that brought the score to 21-17 FP, which ended the set with four straight points.

During set No. 2, the most exciting and highly contested of the night, there were two different scoring runs, one for each team. Kelsey Ragio of the Trojans served her team to a five-point run, while McKenna Neuens’ six-point run for the Knights kept pace with Ragio.

“The volleys weren’t short, the set went back and forth throughout,” Norway coach Erika Harnden said. “The girls gave it their all in that set. The play of their front row, Simmons especially, was the difference in that set but also in the whole match.”

Caitlyn Bloomberg of FP serving was a key to a five-point run for the Trojans in the final set, which was dominated by the visitors from Iron County to close out the match.

Norway hosts Escanaba Monday night in a non-conference tilt, while the Trojans return home to face conference foe Mid-Peninsula on Tuesday night.

Forest Park also swept the JV match 2-0 (25-22, 25-20).