SECTION 4 VOLLEYBALL: CORNING GETS REDEMPTION AS THEY TOP ELMIRA TO WIN SECTIONAL TITLE (24 PHOTOS) (2024-11-11)

By Brian Fees
Southern Tier Sports Report
TIOGA CENTER— A year ago the Corning Hawks faced the Elmira Express in the sectional final, and finished the night watching Elmira celebrate a sectional title.

That loss has weighed on the Corning players for the past year, and on Sunday they avenged the loss with a 25-13, 25-22, 25-13 victory in the Section 4, Class AAA Championship at Tioga High School.

“They were absolutely ready,” Corning coach Barb Smith said. “When we were talking about it everyone kept asking who do you want to play? Elmira or Ithaca? And the girls kept saying we want Elmira, we want to play Elmira and I think they were ready. They wanted redemption.”

Last year’s loss just motivated the Hawks coming into this year.

“I feel like we worked so hard since last year and it’s really put a fire under our butt and we deserve it,” Piper Emmick said. “We know it shouldn’t have happened (the loss last year). It’s just our motivation.”

And, now to be sectional champions is special.

“It’s so amazing,” said Madison Wood. “Especially after last year, the disappointment, it feels like we got revenge. I feel so good about it.”

Last year’s loss still weighs on the Corning players.

“It’s still stinging,” Emmick said.

The match couldn’t have started better for Corning as they jumped out to a 7-2 lead. After back-to-back kills by Gracee Work and a block and kill by Sam Molingou, and then a kill by Melina Schwesinger the Hawks had a lead of 12-4 in the match.

Elmira got within 14-8 on an Addisyn Chorney kill and Madi Jones had a kill to get the Express within 15-9, before Aleah Leonberger’s ace had Elmira within 15-10. Elmira got another point back to get within 15-11.

That’s as close as the set would get. A Work kill put Corning back up five, before a Chorney kill from the back row got Elmira back within four points. Corning would win nine of the next 10 points to close out the match, with Molingou starting the run with a block.

“They knew it was great momentum to start with,” Smith said. “I think that first set, having that big of a margin, it was definitely helpful. It kept the energy going. We fell apart a little bit the second time, made some adjustments and were able to pull through and finish it.”

Getting off to the strong start was big for the Corning players.

“We started off really strong,” Emmick said.

“It’s nice to be up and have a cushion and know it’s okay to make a mistake and keep pushing,” Wood said.

Elmira was the one starting strong in set two as they started up 4-0. But, a Teresa Hacker kill had Corning within 4-2 and an ace by Wood made it 4-3.

Elmira went up 5-3, but Corning scored the next three points to go up 6-5.

The rest of the set was back-and-forth. Corning went up 16-12 at one point, but three straight Elmira points, keyed by a Jones kill, had the lead down 16-15.

A Schwesinger ace and a Work kill had Corning up 19-15, but again Elmira fought back and got within 19-17.

Wood had another kill to put Corning up 20-17, but Elmira scored three straight points, the second of them Jones getting a kill after a long rally between the two teams.

Molingou had a kill and to put Corning up 21-20, but Camille Sconiers had a kill for Elmira to tie things back up.

Molingou had a kill and a block to put Corning up 23-21, but Elmira got within 23-22 and it looked like they’d have a kill to tie things, but Corning made a diving save and the ball got to Molingou for the kill as Corning closed out the set.

“Adjustments,” Smith said. “We had to make some adjustments, change some things up. They did it and it worked.

“I think playing here, this is probably the first time in at least 10 years that the sectionals have been out of Corning, N.Y. so it was different. We just knew, we have played in this gym before in other tournaments, and they knew this side right here, this is where we won the tournament here too. They made adjustments and we are playing really well.”

The players knew they had to fight back.

“We wanted to win, we had to push through no matter what,” Emmick said.

The third set was all Corning. Corning led 20-8 at one point on their way to the win.

“We came into it with a lot of energy and knew we had to,” Emmick said.

The Corning players are happy with the way they played in the match.

“It was so nice,” Work said. “We are such a good team, have such good chemistry out there on the court and we love being around each other, it’s so fun.”

And, the defensive effort by the Hawks was dominant on Sunday.

“We are having fun, nothing hits the ground, that mentality will get anyone through,” Emmick said.

The energy the Hawks played with was high all night, and even those on the bench were providing the energy.

“Even the stands, there is energy, everything, everywhere,” Wood said.

One of the biggest sources of energy is liber Riley Keeler, who often can be seen flying in the air to celebrate every big moment by the Hawks.

“She’s such a character, she’s nice to have, she always brings energy,” Work said.

Work had 11 points, two aces, nine digs, 13 kills and a block, while Wood had 10 points, three aces, 10 digs and eight assists.

Schwesinger had nine points, two aces, 13 digs and eight kills.

Molingou had seven points, six digs, five kills and four blocks and Emmick had five points, four digs, a kill and 20 assists.

Now it’s onto the subregional round, back at Tioga on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. against Section I champion John Jay East Fishkill.

“We know it’s a lot smaller than what we are used to as far as boundaries,” Smith said of playing back at Tioga.

As sophomores the seniors went to the state final four, and that’s the goal again this year.

“Since the start of the season we have been telling everyone we were going to states this year,” Wood said.

“I want to go back so bad,” Emmick said.
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PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES

PHOTO GALLERY FROM THE MATCH:


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