Fort Wayne, Ind. - The Knights started off the Onset Invite in Fort Wayne splitting between their two games on day one, falling to Aquinas 1-3 in game one and winning game two against IU-South Bend 3-0. Marian is now 3-1 overall.

Game 1| Marian 1-3 Aquinas| 25-16, 20-25, 18-25, 24-26 

The Knights started off hot in the first set pulling ahead of Aquinas in the middle of the set with a five point run to take the 14-9 lead with Madison Brooks starting off the run with a kill. The Knights kept the momentum going with multiple kills from Gabby Fish and Khori Dryden. With Dryden claiming the last point with a kill to finish off the set 25-16.
Marian got off to a slower start in the second set with the Saints claiming the first four points. The Knights claimed their first point from an attack error by Aquinas to decrease their lead to three. The rest of the game was a very back and forth battle with Nicole Wilkinson blocking Aquinas' pass to end the run in an attack error to bring the score 18-18. The Knights tied the game once again with Brooks hitting a kill to bring the game 19-19 before the Saints went on a 2-0 run to end the set 25-20. Putting the game tied 1-1 going into the third set.

Much like the second set the third set started out slower with the Saints taking the lead early before Wilkinson and Danielle Schade forced an attack error on Aquinas' side with a block off of the pass. The Knights claimed the majority of their points from Dryden and Brooks claiming multiple kills each in the middle part of the set. Marian took the lead after back-to-back attack errors from the Saints. Aquinas ended up pulling ahead with a 9-0 run to bring the score 12-19. In last ditch efforts Marian had a 3-0 run with a pair of kills from Fish and Brooks, and a block by Brooks and Sarah Bennett. The Saints ended the set victorious with a kill to claim the final score of 18-25 to take the 1-2 lead in the game.

The Knights took an early lead in the fourth set with Emma Hirchak tallying four kills as well as Brooks, Wilkinson, and Mikayla Christiansen all tallying one kill to claim the 12-7 lead. After the Saints decreased the lead Christiansen, Logan Smith, and Hirchak all claimed consecutive kills to increase the lead 16-11. Aquinas went on a 7-0 run to take the lead away from Marian to push a back-to-back battle at the end with the Saints claiming victory and the win with a final score of 24-26.

Brooks led the pack with nine kills while Christiansen, Hirchak, and Dryden each had seven. Smith led the team in assists with 18 while Emerson Evans was closely behind with 17. Emma Lyons was a crucial part in the game totaling 15 digs. Wilkinson claimed five block assists while Fish and Bennett each had three. 

Game 2 | Marian 3-0 IU-South Bend| 25-12, 25-13, 25-20

The Knights started out set one strong with a kill from Wilkinson, two service aces from Christiansen, as well as an attack error from IU- South Bend off of a block by Fish and Wilkinson. Wilkinson's kill lead the team on another run to increase their lead 9-2. Once the Knights had a large margin against the Titans other key players got to extend the lead with Avery Toole claiming a block and a kill to finish off the set with a score of 25-12 putting the Knights up 1-0 in the match.

Much like the first set Marian came out strong going on a 4-0 run led by Wilkinson and Christiansen's block into an attack error for IU-South Bend. The Knights continued to increase their lead with four kills by Fish to increase the lead 11-4. Chloe Cook, Lexa Zimmerman, and Evie Dart got their hands in the mix with a kill each bringing the lead 19-9. Kadence Conrad and Fish included the lead with a block to an attack error from the Titans. Marian ended the set with a kill from Cook to bring the score 25-13.

The Knights continued to dominate in the third set, gaining their lead early on with Fish, Smith, and Bennett hitting key kills to put Marian in the quick 5-2 lead. Marian went on a 6-0 run with Fish and Emma's Lyons playing intricate parts in the run. After a back and fourth run for both teams the Knights took the set home with a 25-20 win over IU-South Bend.

Gabby Fish lead the team in 11 kills with Dryden following up with six. Evans lead the team in assists with 13 and Smith not far behind with 11. Lyons led the team in the back row with 11 digs. The Knights are back in action tomorrow in day two of the Onset Invite with their first game starting at 11a.m. Against UNOH.