Marion, Ind.- The Marian volleyball team fell in the Crossroads League Championships 3-1 to Indiana Wesleyan. The Knights are now 23-8 overall on the season.

The first set was very back and forth on both sides of the net, drawing 12 ties in the set before the Knights took charge with the score 18-18. Marian went on a 3-0 run highlighted by two kills by Madison Brooks and a kill from Mikayla Christiansen to force a Wildcats timeout. Both teams traded kills with Brooks and Sarah Bennett claiming the kills for the Knights bringing the score 22-20 in favor of the visitors. Marian finished off the set securing the 25-20 win with Christiansen and Bennett each claiming kills.

Marian struck early with a 4-0 run in the second set with Khori Dryden, Christiansen, and Brooks all contributing with kills. The Wildcats fired back quickly with a 8-0 run to force a Marian timeout. Dryden and Brooks each claimed a kill after the timeout to bring the score 9-6 in favor of the home team. Marian continued to chip at the Wildcats lead with Brooks, Gabby Fish, and Bennett each claiming crucial kills as well as a Wildcat attacking error forcing a home timeout with the margin decreased to three. Coming out of the timeout Marian outscored Indiana Wesleyan five to two bringing the set to a bottleneck with Fish claiming two kills in the 15-15 set. The Wildcats returned the favor, scoring the Knights six to three, with Wilkinson and Brooks hitting crucial kills before Marian took a timeout. After the timeout both teams traded 3-0 runs with Fish and Brooks highlighting the Knights run before the Wildcats took their final timeout. Both sides traded points once more with Wilkinson and Christiansen claiming a block before Indiana Wesleyan took the 25-23 win. 

Christiansen and Brooks opened up the third set with back-to-back kills followed up by a Wildcats attacking error to take the 3-0 lead. The set came to a bottleneck with four points tied before Indiana Wesleyan took the set into their own hands going on a 4-0 run before Marian called a timeout. After the timeout Marian chipped away at the margin benefiting off of an attacking error and a kill from Wilkinson to bring the score 10-12. After trading points both teams traded 3-0 runs with the Knights benefiting off of two attacking errors followed up by a kill from Dryden to force an Indiana Wesleyan timeout. Marian put forth effort to take the second set with Brooks, Fish, Christiansen, and Dryden all recorded kills and Emma Lyons recorded an ace but were to no avail against the Wildcats efforts falling 25-21 in set three. 

Indiana Wesleyan struck first taking the early 4-2 lead. Marian fired back with three straight points highlighted by Brooks' kill. The Wildcats extended their lead with five more points to bring the score 9-5. Both sides of the net traded points once more fighting for the championship. The Knights claimed their longest run of the set with Wilkinson and Dryden adding kills to the Wildcats attacking errors bringing the score 16-16 to send Indiana Wesleyan to a timeout. The Wildcats dominated the end of the set outscoring the Knights eight-three to claim the 25-20 win and the 3-1 overall win to be crowned the 2024 Crossroads League Tournament Champions.

Madison Brooks led the team in kills with 14 while Gabby Fish had 11. Logan Smith led the team in assists with 29 and Emerson Evans had 18. Nicole Wilkinson led the team in blocks with five and Sarah Bennett had four. Emma Lyons led in digs with 20 and Khori Dryden had 19.

The Knights await the results of the NAIA National Tournament selection show held on Monday November 18th. In hopes of continuing their postseason run. Stay tuned on MUKnights.com to see the results of the show.

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