NEW YORK STATE VOLLEYBALL: CANDOR SPLITS POOL PLAY OPENER (2021-11-20)

Tioga County Sports Report
GLENS FALLS — The Candor volleyball team grabbed early leads against Pavilion in its pool play opener at the 2021 NYSPHSAA Girls Volleyball Championships at Cool Insuring Arena here Saturday, but would end up splitting with undefeated Pavilion.

The Indians would hold 5-point leads early in the first set before the Gophers dug themselves out of the small holes and roll to a 25-14 victory.

Strong play by 6-foot-1 middle hitter Lauren Kingsley, who has a team-high 236 kills, and solid serving from Karlee Zinkievich, the team leader in service points with 348, paced a comeback from a 12-7 deficit.

Zinkievich was at the line when Pavilion reeled off six straight points to take a 13-12 edge.

Following a Candor timeout, the Indians picked up a sideout to tie the game at 13, but the Gophers went on a 7-point run to take command.

Candor evened the two-set series with a 25-23 win in game two.

The Indians jumped in front, 4-1, and led by four points on four separate occasions, the last at 13-9.

That's when Pavilion started chipping away at the lead, eventually inching in front, 17-16, on a Candor hitting error.

The Gophers led, 18-16 and 20-18, before the Indians surged back in front at 21-20 and again at 23-22, then go on to score two of the final three points.

Candor still has to play Galway and Mount Academy, who were ranked first and fifth, respectively, by the New York Volleyball Coaches Association.

The top two teams advance to Sunday's championship match.

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IN PHOTO 1: Candor's Grace Handy. ... PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.