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6A Girls Volleyball Playoffs: Syracuse goes five sets with Corner Canyon, falls short of semifinals

Three Northern Utah teams remain in consolation play

By CONNER BECKER - Standard-Examiner | Nov 7, 2024
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Syracuse sophomores McKinley Barkdull (13) and Brinley Barkdull (12), sophomore Miyah Lish (5) and senior Saniah Johnson (6) celebrate a point vs. Corner Canyon during the quarterfinal round of the 6A Girls Volleyball State Tournament Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem.
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Syracuse senior Karlie Hamblin (3) serves the ball to Corner Canyon during the quarterfinal round of the 6A Girls Volleyball State Tournament Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem.
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Syracuse sophomore Brinley Barkdull (12) serves the ball to Westlake during the second round of the 6A Girls Volleyball State Tournament Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem.
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Fremont senior Atley Mitchell (9), sophomores Kylee Harper (3), and Mia McArthur (22) celebrate a point vs. Layton during the second round of the 6A Girls Volleyball State Tournament Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem.
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Fremont junior Maya Jensen fires the ball past Layton sophomore Maleah Quinton (26) during the second round of the 6A Girls Volleyball State Tournament Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem.
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Fremont head volleyball coach Analaine Mailoto, left, and senior Atley Mitchell (right, black) reset during a timeout vs. Layton during the second round of the 6A Girls Volleyball State Tournament Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem.
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Weber junior Sophie Sparrow (10) jumps for the ball vs. Corner Canyon during the second round of the 6A Girls Volleyball State Tournament Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem.
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Weber head volleyball coach Renae Birch visits with her team during a timeout vs. Corner Canyon during the second round of the 6A Girls Volleyball State Tournament Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem.
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Layton senior Milly Pendelton (24) celebrates a point vs. Fremont during the second round of the 6A Girls Volleyball State Tournament Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem.
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Davis senior Leah Tuft (4) jumps for the ball vs. Lone Peak during a timeout vs. Layton during the second round of the 6A Girls Volleyball State Tournament Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem.
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Davis junior Pola Wong (15) serves the ball to Lone Peak during a timeout vs. Layton during the second round of the 6A Girls Volleyball State Tournament Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem.
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Davis huddles around senior Avery Jensen (18) after scoring a point vs. Lone Peak during a timeout vs. Layton during the second round of the 6A Girls Volleyball State Tournament Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem.
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Davis head volleyball coach McKay Barker talks with senior Leah Tuft (4) before a serve vs. Lone Peak during a timeout vs. Layton during the second round of the 6A Girls Volleyball State Tournament Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University in Orem.

OREM — All five Northern Utah teams in the second round of the 6A girls volleyball state tournament were eliminated from title contention Thursday at Utah Valley University.

No. 5 Syracuse and No. 8 Fremont were the final pair knocked off the board in the quarterfinals. They are now set to face off in the second Region 1 battle of the tournament Friday in the fifth-place consolation round, beginning at 9:15 a.m. at UVU, for a chance to compete in the fifth-place title match.

The day’s first matches began with Fremont knocking off region foe and No. 9 seed Layton in four sets to advance to the quarterfinals. Syracuse (21-9) followed suit, producing a convincing sweep over No. 12 Westlake before falling to No. 4 Corner Canyon in five sets.

The Chargers (22-7) escaped a two-set lead held by Syracuse, rallying back and claiming a seat in Friday’s semifinal with No. 1 Pleasant Grove. Titans senior McKinley Barkdull and sophomore Karlie Hamblin combined for 41 digs against the Chargers.

First-year Syracuse coach Megan Allred left Orem optimistic about her group’s performance vs. a deep Corner Canyon attack and outside hitter Halle Bills.

“Learning to get over that hump is something that we talked about,” Allred said. “(Our) blocking was way better than it’s been in the past… It’s just a matter of getting better. We have a really young team, so we’ve got to get rid of that fear and try to improve.”

Elsewhere on the floor, sophomore Miyah Lish racked up 39 assists and senior Anabell Briggs recorded two aces. The mix of five seniors and a bevy of underclassmen talent has already paid dividends for the Titans’ future, Allread said.

“Their character shines through in tough moments,” Allred said. “I feel like, for me in my first year, I was a little hesitant how people were going to react to a new coach but they’ve welcomed me with open arms and I feel like they have really embraced that so the other girls have followed their lead.”

Pleasant Grove stalls Fremont in quarterfinals

Tourney favorite Pleasant Grove pulled the rug out from underneath No. 8 Fremont in three sets (25-11, 25-14, 25-14) in the quarterfinals Thursday at UVU.

In the second round, Fremont (19-9) bested No. 9 Layton in four sets behind 21 kills by senior Sadie Parrish and 49 assists by senior Atley Mitchell.

Defensively, Fremont hung right with their opponent on a day when Layton (17-13) duo Aubrey Hackett and Maleah Quinton combined for 21 total kills. Silverwolves head coach Analaine Mailoto felt her group’s second-round momentum fade in the quarterfinals.

“I felt like we served really well,” Mailoto said. “We got some pretty good blocks. In our first game, we had good hitting, good blocking… Against (Pleasant Grove), we broke down our passing a little bit so that hurt our offense.”

Mailoto said the team is still there to win.

“My coaching philosophy doesn’t change… I told them let’s come back, win our next two matches and go home with some wins,” she said.

Late stand not enough for Weber

No. 13 Weber battled down to the final set, but No. 4 Corner Canyon rallied back for the sweep (25-14, 25-15, 25-18) in the second round Thursday at UVU.

The Warriors (13-16) stole the lead twice in the final set but came up short as the Chargers (22-7) pushed on to the quarterfinals to meet No. 5 Syracuse. Weber junior Sophie Sparrow finished with 11 kills, junior Teysn Stewart picked up eight digs and senior Ayden Schiffman registered five blocks.

Weber later defeated No. 12 Westlake in the sixth-place consolation bracket. The Warriors return to UVU on Friday to challenge No. 16 American Fork for a seat in the sixth-place match.

Davis swept by mighty Lone Peak

Trailing to begin the final set, No. 2 Lone Peak pulled away from No. 18 Davis (25-13, 25-14, 25-14) to complete the sweep and reach the quarterfinals Thursday at UVU.

Davis (7-21) seniors Paige Halliday and Leah Tuft each tallied five kills; seniors Avery Jensen and Olivia Checketts each recorded eight assists.

The Darts later fell to No. 10 Copper Hills in the sixth-place consolation bracket.

Connect with prep sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.

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