MOUNT VERNON, Ohio - The Marian volleyball team saw their Crossroads League Tournament run come to an end on Wednesday night, as the Knights were unable to rally after falling behind two sets, losing to Mount Vernon Nazarene 3-0 in the CL Semifinal Round. Marian drops to 18-11 following the loss. 

Marian held their own early in set one, as Emma Lyons served up a pair of aces to begin the match and provide a quick 2-0 lead. The start helped Marian jump out to an 8-5 lead, which gradually surged to a 14-10 lead, as a 4-0 run led by two Chloe Cook kills provided the lead. Mount Vernon roared back and scored four unanswered points of their own, setting up a 7-1 run that gave the Cougars a 17-15 lead. Marian would rally back within one as the score moved to 18-17, but the Knights could not regain the lead, as Mount Vernon ended the set on a 7-0 run, taking the 1-0 lead with their 25-17 win.

In set two, the Knights battled to the finish against the 12th-ranked Cougars, surging back and forth as they played within two points in the opening 16 rallies. Mount Vernon held the lead early and eventually took their lead to five points, but a 4-0 run led by Evie Dart brought the Knights within one. Trailing 14-13, Dart's surge forced a Cougar timeout, and helped Marian take a 20-18 lead. Mya Cunningham, Chloe Cook, and Nicole Wilkinson each scored in the run that gave Marian the lead, but the team would not hang on to the lead, as their eventual 23-20 advantage turned into a tie. A Cougar 4-0 run gave the home team the advantage, with Mount Vernon reaching set point five times. Marian would stave off four set points, but a Faith Maloney kill would win set two for Mount Vernon 30-28.

Having exerted immense energy in set two, the Knights gradually ran out of steam in set three, as the Cougars would finish the sweep with a 25-13 win. Marian did start out the third set with a 5-2 lead, but immediately yielded a 9-0 run, with the Cougars taking full control of the game. Mount Vernon doubled the lead as they went on top 16-8, and would lead by 11 before eventually closing victoriously 25-13. 

Chloe Cook led Marian in kills in the loss with 11, while Khori Dryden had nine kills. Sami Luttel had a team-high 13 assists, and Emma Lyons recorded 15 digs, a team-high. Lyons became the second Knight in program history to log her 2000th career dig in the match, doing so in set one. Lyons has 2013 career digs, five short of breaking the program record. 

Marian will await their NAIA postseason fate, as they will see if they qualify for the NAIA National Tournament. The NAIA selection show is Monday, November 17, airing on the NAIA YouTube channel at 5:00 p.m.

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