SECTION IV VOLLEYBALL: 'RESILIENT' TIGERS BATTLE BACK; TOP WALTON IN PLAYOFF TO ADVANCE TO CLASS C TITLE MATCH (24 PHOTOS) (2023-11-02)
By TIM BIRNEYValley Sports ReportTRUMANSBURG — After dropping the first three games of pool play, things looked bleak for the defending Section IV, Class C champion Tioga Tigers.
However, Tioga regrouped to win the final three games of pool play, then topped Walton, 25-15, in a playoff to secure its third consecutive trip to the Class C finals. The Tigers have now reached the sectional finals 15 of the last 16 times it has been played, including 12 consecutive season from 2007 to 2018. (There was no tournament in 2020 due to COVID.)
"It says a lot about our resiliency," said Tioga coach Des Ford of bouncing back from three straight losses to open pool play.
"In this round, you have to do it for yourself," she noted. "You can’t rely on other teams to make mistakes, and lose to get you into the finals.
"The girls dug in, and dug out of that hole," added Ford.
The third-seeded Tigers opened the night with a 25-17 loss to top-seeded Trumansburg, then lost a heart-breaking 32-30 decision in the second set.
Tioga trailed 22-20 late in the second set, but rallied to take a 24-22 lead. Trumansburg staved off several set-points, and eventually took a 29-28 lead. However, Tioga bounced back to take a 30-29 lead, before the Blue Raiders closed out the set with three straight points.
Trumansburg, which advanced to the finals with a 6-0 mark in pool play, finished off the night with 25-14 and 25-11 wins over S-VE, and 25-10, 25-12 wins over Walton.
Tioga then dropped a 25-21 decision to Walton to fall to 0-3.
Ford made a quick adjustment late in the first set against Walton.
"We changed our defense at the net, and that seemed to make a difference," she said.
Sophomore RaeAnne Feeko served up four straight points, including a trio of aces, to give Tioga a 20-11 lead on its way to a 25-16 win in the second set against Walton.
After Walton was swept by Trumansburg, Tioga needed to sweep S-VE to force a playoff.
The Tigers pulled out a 25-23 win in the first set, then cruised to a 25-10 win in the second set to force the playoff.
In the winner-take-all playoff, Tioga jumped out to a 4-1 lead on kills by Feeko, senior Megan Vance, sophomore Audi Zorn, and junior Kali Bailey.
Walton rallied to take a 9-7 lead, but with 6-1 middle hitter / blocker Caroline Gorence on the bench during a rotation, the Tigers erased the deficit and built a big lead.
Bailey served up 11 straight points, including three aces, to take an 18-9 lead. The run was punctuated by three kills by senior Layni Whitmore and one by Vance.
"When I looked over and saw (Gorence) wasn’t in, I thought this is where we need to get some points," said Ford. "I was hoping the kids would realize it, and start hitting … they definitely took advantage of her not being on the court."
After a side-out made it 18-10, Whitmore registered a block to end any momentum Walton might have had, and give Tioga a 19-10 lead.
Walton did close the gap to 20-15 with three straight service points, but a kill by Zorn ended the run and made it 21-15.
Vance closed out the game with four service points, the final three coming via service aces.
Ford couldn’t put a finger on the difference in her team’s play against Walton, but had an inkling the first set loss was a hangover from its two sets against Trumansburg.
"Honestly, I don’t know exactly what the difference was.
"Coming into the first two sets (against Walton), we were coming off the two sets against Trumansburg, where they played so well," said Ford. "I don’t know if we were thinking we would play that well the rest of the night, but every team is different, and has a different touch to the ball, you have to be ready for anything."
Tioga will square off with Trumansburg Sunday at noon in the Class C championship match at Corning-Painted Post High School.
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IN PHOTO 1: Tioga’s Megan Vance. … PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
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