INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian volleyball team won a tough four-set match Saturday night in the NAIA Opening Round, as the Knights took a four-set win over Park University - Gilbert. The 3-1 victory over the Buccaneers gives Marian a 24-6 overall record as they advance in the NAIA National Tournament.
The Knights got off to a lightning start against Park, taking advantage of poor defense as they jumped out to a quick 7-2 lead. Park would rally back within a point of Marian using a 4-0 run, but the home team was able to get back in system using a pair of Skyler Van Note kills. A 3-0 run created by Jaymison Summers and Jai-Lyn Norwood drove the score to five at 19-14, allowing Marian chip was to their 25-20 victory. Gianna Feld's second service ace of the game helped lead Marian to the opening set victory.
In the second set, Park showed life and battled back and forth with Marian through the opening 16 rallies. A 4-0 run for the Buccaneers led by a pair of Marian errors would force Marian to use a timeout, but the Knights responded out of the break with a 7-3 clip to tie the score again. Another Marian run allowed them pull in front 20-18, however they could not hold their lead as Park rallied to tie at 24. Park forced set point twice, and a pair of errors would tie the set at 1-1 following the 28-26 Buccaneer win.
After falling behind to start the third set, Marian came to life trailing 15-13 as Van Note's third kill in the set jumped her team on a run. A block from the senior and Averi Lanman kept momentum going with the Knights, and four consecutive Buccaneer attack errors pushed Marian in front 19-16. Two of the attack errors came on Marian blocks by Norwood and Madison Brooks, and after a timeout, the Knights managed two more blocks as Lanman and Brooks smothered the attack. Norwood put the set away after the 7-0 run gave Marian life, winning 25-19.
The Knights jumped out to an early 4-1 lead in the fourth set, and held in control as the Buccanneers clawed back to tie the set at 13-13. The tie turned into a lead for Park as three Knight errors paced their 4-0 run, but a service error after a Marian timeout got the home team in system. Van Note slammed back to back kills to give Marian temporary control, however their opposition turned back and used a 5-1 rally to take a 22-19 lead. Brooks calmed the Knights with a powerful kill coming out of a timeout, and consecutive points scored by Summers brought the score to a 22-22 tie. Park would force set point after scoring two Amanda Jonovich kills, but Brooks and Norwood turned the tides to force match point. A Buccaneer attack error after their final timeout put the Marian fan base at ease, as the 26-24 win gave Marian the four-set victory.
Marian played strong in the win recording a .248 hitting percentage, while posting 11 total blocks. Van Note led the Knights attack with 18 kills, while Norwood had 15 kills. Brooks led the team with six total blocks as she had six kills, and Summers had five kills to go with three blocks. Lanman had five block assists, and Logan Smith led the Knights with 13 digs to pair with 17 assists. Katie Hardegree had a double-double with 24 assists and 11 digs, and Feld had three service aces.
Marian will advance to Sioux City, Iowa, for the sixth consecutive season following their win, taking a 24-6 record to the final site. Marian's win gives them a 5-0 all-time record in the NAIA Opening Round. The NAIA Tournament Pool Play schedule will be announced on Sunday afternoon.
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