INDIANAPOLIS - Looking to wash the taste of their loss from the previous week out of their mouths, the Marian volleyball team played one of their cleanest matches of the season Wednesday night, sweeping Huntington on their home floor. Marian's quick win improves their season record to 15-7 overall, while they jump to 9-3 in Crossroads League play.

The Knights wasted no time grabbing a lead in the first set, leaping in front 4-0 behind a pair of kills from Avery Toole. Toole continued to be effective as she was making her first start of the season, hammering three more kills throughout the set as she helped push Marian to a 16-7 lead. After a Huntington timeout was forced by Mikayla Christiansen, the Knights backed off their aggressive approach and allowed Huntington to gain ground, before stepping the pedal back to the floor. A pair of Forester errors got Marian back into system, as they closed the first set on top 25-18.

Huntington answered Marian in the second set by establishing the lead early in the game, jumping in front 9-6 after the 15th rally of the set. Gabby Fish and Toole helped keep Marian in the set, and while trailing 17-13, Christiansen scored a big kill that sparked a winning rally. The junior's point dropped Logan Smith to serve, who helped ignite a 6-0 with three service aces to give the home team a 20-17 lead. Huntington was unable to recover after allowing the run, as Marian led the rest of the set, getting a block from Nicole Wilkinson and kill from Fish to close the 25-21 win.

With a 2-0 lead established, the Knights wasted little time building a lead in the third set, as Khori Dryden and Averi Lanman scored early kills to grow a 7-2 lead. Jaymison Summers got involved as she entered the match as two kills and a block from the junior pushed the advantage to eight points, as the Knights showed little signs of slowing down. A kill from Sydney Henke pushed Marian to an 18-12 lead, and Christiansen and Dryden helped finish the win, with the freshman landing three consecutive kills from Ainsley Neighbors as part of a 6-0 run. The run gave Marian a 24-12 lead, and three rallies later Dryden put down the winning kill, closing the sweep with a 25-14 win.

The Knights played lights out in their win on offense, hitting .346 as a team with 48 kills. Dryden led the team with 12 kills total on the night, posting eight alone in the third set as she finished the match with a .500 hitting percentage. Toole was equally impressive, posting 10 kills with a .400 hitting percentage. Christiansen ended with eight kills while adding a service ace, block assist, and 11 digs on the night, and Fish and Lanman combined for 13 kills. 

Defensively, Lyons led the back row with 20 digs, while Wilkinson posted four block assists in her two sets of work to lead the team. Logan Smith finished the match with a team-best 22 assists, recording four of Marian's six service aces. Lyons and Katie Hardegree each had six assists, and Neighbors finished with 12. 

Marian will be off until next Wednesday when they resume their schedule, staying home to take on Goshen College. The match on October 18 will begin at 7 p.m. in the PE Center.

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