Spring Arbor, Mich. - Riding a seven-match winning streak entering the Crossroads League opener, the Marian volleyball team pushed their streak to eight with a four-set victory at Spring Arbor on Wednesday night. The win pushes No. 24 Marian to a 10-1 overall record, while beginning CL play 1-0.

Marian's three set victories came with identical 25-21 scores, as Spring Arbor challenged the Knights in each of the four games. The Cougars took a commanding 7-1 hold on the lead to open the first set, but were unable to hold the edge as Madison Brooks and Khori Dryden sparked a 5-0 run to get the Knights back into the flow. The set turned into a back and forth joust after Marian took a 9-8 lead, with neither side holding a lead of more than two until the late stages. Mikayla Christiansen, Dryden, and Gabby Fish carried the offense throughout the first game, with the pair of seniors igniting a 4-0 run to finish the 25-21 win.

Spring Arbor controlled the second set, building an early 9-2 lead that they would not relent. Plays from Sydney Schaffer and Sarah Bennett helped Marian regroup and get within five as the Cougars held a 13-8 edge, but the visitors were unable to get enough offense, falling down 23-12 before going on to drop the game 25-13.

In the third set, Evie Dart and Gabby Fish sparked early offense for Marian, as strong plays helped balance the Spring Arbor attack. The Cougars, determined to take a 2-1 lead in the match, rattled off a 5-0 run to capture a 14-8. The Knights shook off their run with a 3-0 spurt ignited by Fish and Sami Lutte to inch closer, while a 4-0 run featuring three spike from Emma Hirchak brought the set to an 18-18 draw. Fish landed a pair of kills as her strong match continued, sparking a 3-0 run two rallies later to take a 21-19 lead. With the lead at hand, Marian firmly went on to close the third set 25-21, getting a block from Dryden and Nicole Wilkinson to take the 2-1 lead.

During the final set, Hirchak and Fish got Marian started on the right note, as the team rattled off an 11-4 run to open the final game. The lead would continue to swell, as a Wilkinson kill and Cougar error pushed the Knights' advantage to nine, leading 15-6. Spring Arbor would begin to rally as Marian committed a pair of errors in a 6-0 run, but a kill and service ace from Mikayla Christiansen halted the spree, keeping Marian in control. The Cougars would come no closer than two points in the closing stretch, as Marian held off the late push and ended the evening with a kill from Gabby Fish, winning the match 3-1 with the 25-21 third set victory.

Fish led the team in kills with 15 in the match, adding a pair of block assists to her evening statline. Dryden recorded 13 kills, and Christiansen had nine kills to pair with a team-high 15 digs. Logan Smith recorded a double-double with 21 assists and 15 digs, while Sami Luttel led the team in assists with 26. Sydney Schaffer had two of the team's five service aces, while joining Emma Lyons with 14 digs each. Wilkinson had three total blocks for a team high, adding six kills in the win. 

Marian will continue their road stretch before returning home to the PE Center next Wednesday, traveling to the University of Saint Francis this Saturday for a 4:00 p.m. match. 

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