WINCHESTER – After losing its 2-1 match lead against Needham in its lone defeat a couple weeks ago, the No. 8 Winchester boys volleyball team was well-aware of what it needed as No. 3 Milford got off to a slow start against it Monday night.

They knew the Scarlet Hawks would surge back, and a premier battle at the net between state title contenders tested the Red and Black’s composure all the way through the end. But this time, with a 3-1 (25-11, 17-25, 25-21, 25-19) win, Winchester (9-1) sealed its most signature closeout yet.

Jamie Watt led with 19 kills and three blocks, countering explosive efforts from Milford’s Alex Guerra (17 kills, two blocks), Joey Newman (13 kills) and Gustavo Da Silva (nine kills). Winchester’s Adam Lubomirski dished 35 assists, distributing to Kirk Levesque (five kills, six blocks), Tuto Sampaio (seven kills) and Zach Pless (four kills) in timely moments.

“We knew how good they are and what it would eventually look like, and so we knew that that is a playoff, late-tournament type of game,” said Winchester head coach John Fleming. “That level of gameplay – Milford’s really tough. It’s a big win for us. … I’m proud of the way that we stuck with it and played tough.”

Hitting errors and rotation miscues plagued Milford in the first set, leading to a lopsided, 25-11 score. The Scarlet Hawks quickly found their typical mojo in the second, though.

Guerra started to erupt, notching six kills in the frame. Three of those came in a 9-2 run to end the set, 25-17, and even up the match. Newman, Da Silva and Ryan Franklin found a rhythm up front, while Arthur Gomes had a stand-out defensive performance.

Winchester needed a response.

“Verses Needham, we kind of took our foot off the gas a little bit,” Watt said. “Today the motto was, ‘Job’s not finished.’ Kobe Bryant. … Our coach told us aside (the set loss) was just one set, you’ve just got to keep playing. I think we all have the goldfish memory, which is just next play, next play, next play. Which, I think helps us a lot.”

Neither team led by more than two points in the third set until Winchester grabbed a 16-13 lead. Lubomirski would connect with Watt, Levesque or Sampaio, only for Milford’s Owen Callahan (43 assists) to set up Guerra, Newman or Da Silva. A trio of Guerra kills pulled the Scarlet Hawks within a 21-19 deficit, but the Red and Black got those points back off blocks from Levesque and Pless.

Pless sealed Winchester’s 2-1 match lead, notching a kill for a 25-21 set win.

“We got some timely plays when we needed them,” Fleming said. “It’s been nice, the growth from the beginning of the year until now, to see other guys (outside of Watt) continue to emerge.”

“They have a couple good players like Alex Guerra … (and) their middle was really good, Joey Newman,” Watt added. “But we play each other every practice, so we have experience against great athletes with our teammates.”

Much of the same back-and-forth followed in the fourth set, as Winchester again couldn’t pull away until late. Franklin and Guerra knotted the score at 15-15 for Milford, but a 7-1 Red and Black run all-but put the set and match away.

Watt had three kills and a block in match’s final 11 points.

“That (third and fourth set) is what a tough, top-10 type of matchup is all about,” Fleming added. “You’ve got to go win and earn points and you’re not going to be giving points. In a game like that, you’ve got to be able to be aggressive and smart. … I thought we played pretty well.”