Mount Vernon, Ohio - The Marian volleyball team saw their 10-game winning streak come to an end on Saturday afternoon, as the Knights lost a five-set battle against Mt. Vernon Nazarene. The 3-2 defeat drops Marian to 12-2 overall on the season, while sliding to a 3-1 mark in the Crossroads League.

A pair of Mikalya Christiansen service aces paced a strong Marian start in the opening set, as the Knights won the race to 10 with a 10-6 lead. Marian continued to hold the lead by 15 as Logan Smith dumped a kill, pushing a 15-10 edge. Marian led the duration of the first set, closing a 25-21 victory on an attack error from the Cougars. Mount Vernon would respond in the second set with a 25-21 win, gaining an early lead in the game to take the initial control. 

Mount Vernon followed their second set win with a victory in the third set, taking down the Knights 25-16 while gaining a 2-1 lead on the match. Trailing 2-1, the Knights came out motivated in the fourth set, posting a 7-2 lead early behind swings from Sarah Bennett and Gabby Fish. Marian forced an early Mount Vernon timeout, and pulled in front 10-3 as Nicole Wilkinson landed a block solo. The Cougars would close the gap to three points, by Khori Dryden and Fish helped fend off the rally, pushing Marian back in front 17-11. Marian would never look back after gaining sizable control in the set, closing a 25-18 win with a kill from Christiansen. 

In the winner-take-all set, Marian opened a quick 4-1 lead, as Dryden slammed a kill to force a timeout. Mount Vernon responded with three unanswered points and tied the set at four, starting a back and forth pace to the set. Marian would hold a 7-6 lead, but failed to take the lead through the side exchange, as a 4-0 run gave the home team a 10-7 lead. Christiansen brought Marian back within one with a pair of kills, while Bennett and Fish closed a 4-1 run to tie the set at 11, but Marian was unable to fend off the Cougars, as the hosts closed on a 4-1 run to take the final game 15-12. 

Christiansen led Marian in kills with 13, recording a double-double with 20 digs. Gabby Fish was close behind with 10 kills, and Dryden had eight. Sami Luttel led the team in assists with 24 and Emerson Evans had 18, and Emma Lyons led the defense with 26 digs. Wilkinson, Madison Brooks, and Bennett each two block assists. 

Marian will look to start a new winning streak on Wednesday when they host Huntington at 7:00 p.m. in the PE Center. 

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