NYSPHSAA VOLLEYBALL: CANDOR COMES UP SHORT IN CLASS D REPEAT ATTEMPT (November 23, 2025)

By TIM TAYLOR
Tioga County Sports Report
GLENS FALLS — Candor came up short in its bid to repeat as state champion at the NYSPHSAA Class D Volleyball Championship, falling to York, 3-0, in the finals at Harding Mazzotti Arena here Sunday.

The Golden Knights proved they were worthy of being the state’s top team, turning away the Coyotes by scores of 25-19, 25-20 and 25-19.

“I think their defense, I think serve receive, I don't think there were a lot of aces on the day,” coach Pam Quinlan said. “They were able to get the ball to their hitters. Their hitters were able to find spots on our court. I thought we stepped up our defense a little later on, but it's hard when there's a lot coming at you. A lot of quick plays at the net, a lot of quick turnarounds.

“I thought we did a nice job on a lot of things, and obviously they just did a better job on a few things. Even when we got a lead, 4-2 or 8-6, we just couldn't maintain it and then we'd be down. Against a team that's passing well and defending well, it's hard to put a string of three or four points together, but I think those were respectable losses, unfortunately, losses, but they certainly are respectable.

“They're going to feel bad because they lost, but I don't think they should feel bad about the way they played.”

York ended the regular season ranked No. 2 while top-ranked Westfield failed to advance. Against No. 5 Candor, the Knights were clicking on defense, serve receive, setting, digging and hitting, especially at the net. They received strong performances by 5-foot-8 outside hitter Bailey Orman, and 5-10 middle hitters Briana Parsons and Fiona Grant to fight off several Candor challenges.

In game one, the Coyotes led nearly half the set and at one point led, 9-5, riding a 4-1 burst highlighted by a hard Nicola Soper kill to the back row.

Three consecutive Candor miscues allowed the Knights to tie the score at 10, but an Emmi Makie shot off a defender at the net helped give the Coyotes 13-10 lead.

That’s when York regrouped and surged ahead, 17-13, on key kills by Grant, Orman and Madison Ezard.

A two-hit violation and an out-of-bounds hit, coupled with big hits by Nicola Soper and Emmi Makie closed the gap to 18-17, and a long serve out of bounds by York tied the set at 19.

Unfortunately for the Coyotes, an out-of-bounds hit followed by a pair of serve receive errors, an Ezard tap at the net for a point, a Maddie Balisciano point and another serve receive error closed out the game.

York used a 5-point run to grab a 5-1 lead in game two, but Makie drilled a side-out shot to the back corner and a block to narrow the margin to 6-5.

The Knights responded with a 6-point burst then, with the score 14-9, Parsons came to life at the net, knocking down a trio of kills to double up the score at 18-9.

The Coyotes worked to rebound, battling back to close the score to 22-19, getting some quality play from Soper, Makie, Hazel Ray and Malley Heidl, but a trio of miscues allowed York to take three of the last four points.

Candor took an early lead in the final set, but the Knights recovered and tied the game at four, highlighted by a Balisciano tapper and a Parsons block. York then scored four of the next five points.

Despite some key hits by Heidl and Makie, York extended its advantage to 17-11 to force a Candor timeout. That resulted in a swap of points, but with the score at 19-13, the Knights surged again to build a 24-13 cushion.

The Coyotes ripped off a trio of points in an effort to make a comeback, but Orman ripped a shot off a front row defender for the match point.

Candor ends its season at 16-2 while York finishes at 22-1.

Although the Coyotes fell short of a repeat, Quinlan had nothing but praise for the hard work and dedication her girls exhibited throughout the season.

“They were just a joy to work with every day in the gym since the middle of August,” she said. “I know that one of their goals was to be back here, and I know one of their goals was to repeat. Obviously one of those goals did not come to fruition, but I think they just come and play the best game that you can, fight for every point that you can. I think that's what they've been doing all season.

“We talk about really just the blessing of even being here, of having the abilities that they've been given and appreciating those and appreciating each other.

“Sports are tough. Somebody has to lose and that's always a tough pill to swallow feeling no matter how well you played and how hard you fought. Hopefully, at some point, they'll be able to look back at this moment, and still remember the good things and the people that they were able to spend time with, our fans, just to remind the girls that they are more than a volleyball player and that the people who come to watch them, come to watch them because they love them, they disappointed them, too, but they're not disappointed in them. It's more for them and I hope that they can just get to that moment sooner than later.”

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IN PHOTO 1: Hazel Ray. IN TOP PHOTO: (L-R) Jill Teribury, Tracy Reynolds and Hazel Ray. … PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.

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