INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian volleyball team suffered their first home loss of the 2024 season on Wednesday night, as No. 8 Indiana Wesleyan handed the Knights a four-set defeat. Marian's loss drops them to 5-2 in the Crossroads League and 14-3 overall, ending the night in fourth place in the Crossroads League standings.

Indiana Wesleyan took the first set of the match 25-21, winning a back and forth battle between the Knights. Runs from both sides of the net gave both teams a respective three-point lead in the opening set, while Marian was able to force the first timeout of the evening as back-to-back Mikayla Christiansen kills gave the home team a 13-12 lead. Marian would score after the timeout, but yielded a 4-0 run to the Wildcats after a Sarah Bennett block. The Knights would respond with a 4-0 run of their own to take a two-point lead and force another timeout, but the home team was unable to finish their 18-16 lead, as Indiana Wesleyan out-scored Marian 9-3 to close the set.

Marian responded in the second set, winning another tight battle by a 25-23 score. Indiana Wesleyan led early in the game, but saw the tide shift to Marian as a 5-1 run fueled by Christiansen and Madison Brooks give the home team a 12-10 edge. The Knights held the lead in the set until the score showed 18-15, as a service error sparked a 5-0 run for the Wildcats. Marian used a timeout to get back in system, and after getting the benefit of a service error, Sami Luttel and Emma Hirchak sparked a 4-0 run to push their team back on top. The Wildcats would capture a brief 23-22 lead, but the Knights close strong, getting a sideout on a kill from Brooks before two Wildcat errors handed Marian the win.

With the match tied 1-1, Marian held momentum early in the third set as they scored the first four points of the game. The run would come to a screeching halt however, as Indiana Wesleyan got back in system and rattled off seven consecutive points to take the lead. Another run, this time of four points, gave Indiana Wesleyan an 11-5 lead and forced a stoppage from Marian as they attempted to tie off the bleeding. Evie Dart, Hirchak, and Gabby Fish helped Marian slowly recover, but the Wildcats remained on top, keeping a three-point distance from the Knights. Despite a late rally effort from Marian, the Wildcats would finish the third set on a 7-5 clip, winning 25-18.

The Knights would lead early in the fourth set of the match, but were unable to keep up with the Wildcats as fatigue set in after seeing a 7-7 draw on the scoreboard. Indiana Wesleyan scored five consecutive points and eight in nine rallies to take a commanding 15-8 lead. Marian was unable to slow down the Wildcat attack after falling behind by seven, getting out-scored 10-5 over the final 15 rallies of the night to end the match with a 25-13 defeat, ending the four-set contest.

Marian recorded a .150 hitting percentage in the loss on their 147 attacks. Christiansen led Marian with 15 kills and 15 digs, adding a pair of assists and four total blocks to her night. Fish recorded 11 kills, and Hirchak ahd eight kills with 15 digs. Sami Luttel led Marian in assists with 22 while Emerson Evans had 18, and Emma Lyons recorded 13 digs from her libero position.

Marian will aim to get back in the win column as they travel to Goshen College on Saturday for a 3:00 p.m. matchup with the Maple Leafs. 

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