SECTION IV VOLLEYBALL: TIOGA TURNS AWAY S-VE IN CLASS C OPENER (November 2, 2026)

By TIM TAYLOR
Valley Sports Report
TIOGA CENTER — Tioga turned away a pesky Spencer-Van Etten foe in the first round of the Section IV Class C volleyball playoffs here Monday evening. The Tigers won, 3-0, with scores of 25-19, 25-9 and 25-22.

“They were scrappy, and they were setting it up and running an offense,” said Tioga coach Des Ford of S-VE.

Even the seemingly one-sided second set was close until Irie Lynch stepped to the service line and racked up 16 consecutive points.

Ford noted that Lynch’s serve has changed.

With Tioga trailing, 9-8, Kate Kithcart found a hole in the Panthers’ back row to score a side out and send Lynch to the line. Strong front play by the Tigers, combined with several hitting errors by S-VE, vaulted the home team to the victory.

“I knew we were going to have to work to win and I think the second game was a different point spread because I think they had to try to figure out what they were going to do since their setter (Kelsea Swayze) got injured, so I think they had to do beautiful at the net.”

S-VE scored a trio of points to grab 3-1 and 6-4 leads, but Tioga would tie the score at six and eight. The Panthers’ final lead was 9-8 on Allison Oakes’ cross-court kill.

The first set of the night saw Lynch serve the Tigers to a 3-1 lead. S-VE would rally to tie things up at five, eight and nine, but Tioga inched in front, 11-10.

The Tigers were able to take advantage of a couple of S-VE miscues, some key plays at the net, and a few key service points to build a 23-12 cushion. That scoring bulge included a side out shot to the back row and two blocks by Rossi, as well as a pair of key serves from Kithcart and another from Lynch.

The Panthers refused to be tamed, however, putting together a 7-point run with some big plays of their own and a trio of Tioga errors to narrow the gap to 23-19..

Brianna Lounsbury stopped the comeback with a side out and the Tigers scored the final point when S-VE was called for a two-hits penalty.

The Panthers looked to extend the match as they jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the third set.THey maintained that 4-point advantage six more times before stretching it to 14-9.

A two-hit penalty gave Tioga a side out, then two S-VE hitting errors helped the Tigers tie the set at 14, then three straight points made it 17-14.

Tioga pushed its lead to 24-17, but again the Panthers refused to quit and closed the gap to 24-22 before a Lounsbury ended the match with a cross-court side out to the back row.

With a player out, Ford made some changes and they paid off.

“We had an 8th-grader on the court, then I put a couple freshmen on the court, another sophomore, just to get them out there, to be in this situation,” she said. “Whether they'll be on the court tomorrow — the 8th-grader will be, because she plays in Vanessa Tunnicliff's spot, and that's where my player that's not here is going, so we made changes.”

The Tigers seem to fit well together and that teamwork worked for a squad that only had two seniors in the starting lineup and a couple players nursing injuries.

Rossi and KIthcart stood out for Tioga.

Rossi had eight kills and six blocks, as well as eight digs and four points while Kithcart contributed 10 points, six kills and five digs.

“I'd say they're probably really the solid ones, Ford said, “but then Vanessa's a link that keeps it going.”

Tunnicliff had four blocks, two kills, one point,one assist and one dig.

Lynch’s serving run in the second set was impressive, and she finished with a double-double with 27 points and 20 assists. She also had five digs and one kill.

“Bri Lounsbury's struggling with that injury in her hip area,” Ford said. “Courtney Smith, she's usually consistent and she did what she had to, but when she was front line, It's just a different tempo, pace of the game. She's usually a strong person, but she's also hurt some, which she said was good tonight.”

Lounsbury recorded six kills, three digs and one point; and Smith added a block, a point and three digs.

Also contributing to the Tigers’ win were Jade Keaty with eight digs and two points; Lainey Platukis with two digs; and Sophia Bozzo with one kill.

Tioga, the seventh seed at 9-7, heads to Trumansburg on Tuesday to face the No. 2 Blue Raiders (14-2).

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IN PHOTO 1: Tioga’s Vida Rossi gets the block. IN TOP PHOTO: Tioga libero Jade Keaty. … PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.

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