6A Girls Volleyball: The block was on as No. 2 Corner Canyon takes down No. 1 Skyridge
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- Skyridge libero Estell Slaney hugs teammate Mary Faga (28) after a 3-1 loss to Corner Canyon in the 6A girls volleyball state finals at the UCCU Center on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025.
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- Skyridge sophomore Sienna Kuresa (16) takes a swing against the Corner Canyon block in the 6A girls volleyball state finals at the UCCU Center on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025.
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- Skyridge senior Kylie Buttars (10) tips over the block against Corner Canyon in the 6A girls volleyball state finals at the UCCU Center on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025.
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- Skyridge senior Haydn Smith (2) celebrates a point in the 6A girls volleyball state finals at the UCCU Center on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025.
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- The Skyridge girls volleyball team celebrates a point against Corner Canyon in the 6A state finals at the UCCU Center on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025.
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- Members of the Skyridge girls volleyball team react to a play in the 6A finals at the UCCU Center on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025.
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- From left, Paisley Fuller, Emma White, Prestley Stevens, Keira Bassett and Hadyn Smith get together during a time out at the 6A girls volleyball state finals at the UCCU Center on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025.
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- Skyridge girls volleyball fans react during the 6A finals at the UCCU Center on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025.
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- Skyridge senior Lily Grant (left) sets the ball in the 6A girls volleyball state finals against Corner Canyon at the UCCU Center on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025.
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- Members of the Skyridge girls volleyball team pose for a photo with the runner-up trophy in the 6A state finals at the UCCU Center on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025.
One of the popular cheers this week during the girls volleyball state was after a block, with the crowd chanting “She … said … no!”
A big and talented Corner Canyon team said “No!” a lot in Thursday’s championship match against top-seeded Skyridge and that strong defensive performance led the Chargers to their first girls volleyball state title, a 3-1 (25-21, 25-23, 14-25, 25-14) victory at the UCCU Center.
No. 2 Corner Canyon (25-6) totaled 12.5 team blocks, every one critical in keeping the usually powerful Skyridge offensive attack in check for key moments in the match.
BYU-bound Kylie Buttars still managed 16 kills, with Haydn Smith and Sienna Kuresa adding 10 each for the Falcons. But the front line of the Chargers — specifically 6-foot-4 sophomore Maija Mortensen (six block assists), 6-foot junior Berkleigh Minnick (five) and 6-1 senior Halle Bills (four) — came up with timely plays at the net all night long for Corner Canyon.
“I think we were just playing not to lose instead of playing to win,” Skyridge head coach Tayler Hifo said. “We were swinging a little timid. But we played hard overall. We were swinging pretty low and I would have loved to have seen an adjustment of swinging high. But we gave it their all.”
The two teams split their Region 3 matchups, with Skyridge sweeping on the road and the Chargers winning in five in Lehi.
Corner Canyon (25-6) won two tight sets on Thursday to take a 2-0 lead in the match. In Set 1, a kill from Liana Latu gave the Chargers a 20-13 lead. Skyridge battled back and closed to 23-20 after a kill from Kuresa. But Mortensen got her team to set point with a smart tip and two serves later, Bills and Mortensen teamed up for a block and the 25-21 win.
The Falcons went on a 5-0 run in Set 2, capped by an ace from Smith, for a 20-19 lead. At 23-23, a Skyridge service error gave Corner Canyon set point and Mortensen killed an overpass for the winner and a 2-0 lead in the match.
The Falcons responded in Set 3, calling on their serve game to keep Corner Canyon off balance and out of system. Smith’s kill pushed the Skyridge lead to 15-8 and a 6-0 run, with a trio of service aces from Buttars, made the score 22-8. Eventually, the Falcons won 25-14 and had the momentum going into Set 4.
“Serving has been one of our strengths all year,” Hifo said. “Getting people out of system is what helped us win that third set.”
Leading 9-6 in the fourth set, Corner Canyon scored five straight points, two on blocks, to lead 14-6. From there the Chargers marched to the finish, an ace by Reagan Williams to get to championship point and a Skyridge error set off the celebration for Corner Canyon.
The Falcons finished the season with a 27-3 record.
” I love these girls,” said Hifo, who just completed her first year as head coach. “To be able to grow with them and see them grow, I’m going to miss our seniors so much. I love them. There was trust in each other and love for each other. We had a lot of big hitters, but we tried to focus on the team as a whole.
“It means so much (to get this far). I told the girls before the match, they’re worth so much more as individuals than any numbers or stats or a win-loss record. I love them so much because their work does not change.”
Corner Canyon’s championship — and titles won in 5A by Woods Cross and 4A by Desert Hills — marked the end of an era for Utah Valley volleyball. The last time at least one Utah Valley team did not win a girls volleyball state title was 2006.
