Spring Arbor, Mich. - The Marian volleyball team ended their week on high note Saturday afternoon, as the Knights began the second half of Crossroads League action with a road victory at Spring Arbor. The four-set win over the Cougars improves Marian to 14-6 overall on the season and 8-2 in Crossroads League play.

The Knights rattled off to a 4-0 lead to open the first set, and grew their lead 7-1 with kills from Madison Brooks and Sarah Bennett, however the Cougars responded as they clawed back within a point after 23 rallies. Spring Arbor briefly overtook the Knights with a 13-12 lead, but Marian stayed in the match as the lead started to change hands. Late in the first set Marian built a 23-21 lead, but were unable to close as the Cougars pushed in front. Spring Arbor had four set point opportunities, and eventually took a 29-27 win scoring the final two points on Knight errors.

In the second set Marian dialed in their focus, and used a 4-0 run paced by Gabby Fish and Mikayla Christiansen to build an 11-5 lead. The lead swelled to six points after a pair of blocks by Jaymison Summers, with Marian rolling their way to a nine-point lead as Averi Lanman spiked the team's 20th point. The lead would reach double figures before the set's end, as the effective offense ended the 25-15 set on a Fish kill and Gianna Feld service ace.

Marian rode the momentum of their win into the third set by building an early 7-2 lead, but were unable to keep the rally going as Spring Arbor forced a tie five points later. The Knights would get back into system and build another lead, this time coming from the attacking prowess of Summers. The surge pushed the Knights in front 16-10, as they held on to the lead for the remainder of the set and rolled to a 25-21 victory. 

With a 2-1 lead at hand, Marian charged the Cougars and worked to take an 8-6 lead in the fourth set. Three kills by the offense set up by Katie Hardegree helped capture a four-point advantage, while Logan Smith found Khori Dryden on back to back rallies to take a 16-10 lead. Spring Arbor would only get within three points of the Knights for the remainder of the set, as Marian finished strong with Christiansen scoring the match-ending kill. Christiansen's kill capitalized the 25-18 victory.

Dryden led the Marian offense with 14 kills and a .306 hitting percentage, while Fish finished with 13 kills. Dryden added 10 digs to complete her first collegiate double-double, and the defense was led by Lanman and Summers, who each had four total blocks. Emma Lyons had 19 digs to lead the back row, and Logan Smith finished the week with her third double-double in as many matches, setting up 24 assists and 12 digs. Hardegree finished with 15 assists in the win, and Sydney Schaffer had 14 digs defensively. 

Marian will continue the second half of the Crossroads League on Wednesday as they travel to No. 19 Mount Vernon Nazarene.

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