INDIANAPOLIS - Looking to end the first half of the Crossroads League season on a high note, the Marian volleyball team rebounded from their loss on Wednesday, defeating Taylor University 3-1 on their home court Friday night. The Knights win improves them to 13-6 on the year and 7-2 in league play, as Marian ends the first half tied for second in the Crossroads League.

The first set of the night opened with a lethargic start, as the Knights found themselves trailing 11-6 as Taylor scored a pair of early service aces. Jaymison Summers ended a 5-0 Taylor run and helped the Knights get in system, with a Gabby Fish kill six rallies later sparking a 4-0 rally that vaulted the home team into the lead. Winning 14-13 after a timeout, Marian began to pour it on, surviving back to back Taylor points before going on a commanding 10-0 scoring streak. Madison Brooks, Sarah Bennett, Khori Dryden, and Mikayla Christiansen each had two or more kills in the spree, as the run fueled a 25-16 first set win.

The second set did not go the same as the first, as a 4-0 run yielded by the Knights set Taylor up with a 9-7 advantage. Taylor kept control and took advantage of Marian errors, keeping in service as their lead ballooned to 17-12. Marian was unable to get any closer to Taylor's lead than four points, as the Trojans used a three-point and four-point run to help close a 25-16 score in favor of the visitors, leveling the match 1-1.

Marian erased the thought of the loss from their minds in the third set, and opened the game out to a 9-6 advantage. Gabby Fish scored three consecutive Marian points in the start that prompted an early timeout, while Christiansen and and Nicole Wilkinson helped extend the home lead. Taylor would gradually charge back at Marian's 15-11 lead and overtake Marian with a 20-19 advantage, but the Knights didn't flinch, going to Brooks on the attack and Averi Lanman on the block to score points. Taylor would make one final push as they tied the set 23-23, however the Trojans committed back to back errors, handing Marian a 25-23 win.

Holding a 2-1 lead in the match, Marian put the pedal to floor early in the fourth set, as a pair of Sydney Schaffer service aces helped capture a 9-4 lead. After an early timeout by Taylor, Marian continued to score points, going on an 8-1 run which featured seven unanswered points to take a double figure lead. With a 17-6 lead at hand, Marian began rolling in reserves, which Taylor took advantage of with a 9-0 run cutting Marian's 21-9 lead into a 21-18 score. Marian would withstand the Taylor pressure and get back into system, as a block from Wilkinson and Brooks on the final rally sealed the match with a 25-21 victory.

The Knights had a pair of hitters reach double digit kills, as Brooks and Fish each finished with 10 kills. Chrisitansen had nine kills, and Dryden finished with seven of the team's 52. Logan Smith again shined at the setter position as she recorded her second doubld-double of the week with 26 assists and 16 digs, while Emma Lyons paced the back row with 21 digs in the win. Christiansen led Marian's blocking with four block assists, while Wilkinson picked up three block assists in her two sets of work. 

Marian will start the second half of league play on the road, traveling to Spring Arbor on Saturday afternoon. First serve is slated for 1 p.m.

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