INDIANAPOLIS - The Marian volleyball team saw an untimely end to its 2025 season on Saturday night in the PE Center, as the Knights fell in a fierce four-set battle against No. 21 seed University of Mobile. Marian won set three to extend the match while trailing 0-2, but were unable to secure an extra points win in set four, losing 3-1. Marian ends their season with an 18-12 overall record.

The Knights got off to a slow start Saturday night, dropping the first four points of the match before a Chloe Cook kill would get them in system. Avery Toole and Evie Dart helped put Marian on track, but another 3-0 swing for Mobile gave the out-of-town foe an 11-5 lead. Marian called timeout and quickly responded, turning the match upside down as a 9-2 run that featured seven unanswered points gave the hosts a 14-13 lead. Nicole Wilkinson scored two kills and a block in the run, with the senior seeing her team eventually push in front 17-15. Mobile counted Marian's run with one of their own after falling behind by two, going on an 8-1 run to inch within two points of taking the set. Trailing 23-18, Marian gave a late surge as Cook and Wilkinson landed a block as part of a 5-1 scoring spree, but the Rams would close the game without needing extra points, winning 25-23.

Mobile followed their set one win with a 25-21 victory in set two, taking a 2-0 lead on the match. The Rams took claim in the set as a 4-0 run gave them an 8-5 lead, with the lead gradually swelling to five. A timeout for Marian trailing 13-8 helped reset the team, as the offense got back in a groove with Mya Cunningham connecting with her hitters for three kills as part of a 4-0 run. Within one, Marian continued to attack as Cook and Wilkinson helped bring the set to a level 16-16 score, with Marian eventually jumping on top 19-17 after a Rams timeout. The blocking game of the Knights aided the team's approach to get within six points of a win, but Marian saw a 19-17 lead slip, as they mustered just two points in the final 10 rallies, falling behind 0-2 in the match.

Trailing 0-2, Marian came out flat to open set three, allowing five of the first seven points to their counterparts. Marian would charge back in the next stretch of seven, as an Emerson Evans service ace brought the score within two. Evie Dart and Chloe Cook soon brought the Knights within one with a three-kill run, while a 5-0 run sparked by Cook gave her team a 14-12 lead. The two point lead became a three-point cushion seven rallies later, with Cook serving Marian into position. Avery Toole and Nicole Wilkinson logged a block to take the score to 18-15, while kills from the seniors in the next five rallies saw the board show 21-17. Leading by four, Marian finished the set strong, taking a 25-19 win with an Evie Dart kill.

Momentum took Marian's side of the net following their third set win, and in the fourth set, the Knights took a strong start, as a 4-0 run in the early stages them a 9-7 lead. Mobile would call timeout and score three unanswered, but a three-point swing from the Knights had the hosts back in front 12-10. The back-and-fourth nature continued as Mobile scored four consecutive, charging back in the lead with a 14-12 score. Nicole Wilkinson took the lead back for Marian with a block three rallies later, but Marian would continue to play on the wrong side of the ledger, falling behind 20-18 as the Rams forced a timeout. 

Mobile pushed their total to 23 shortly after the timeout, forcing Marian's final stoppage as the team looked for one final run. A service error out of the break gave the Knights the life they needed, as Cook and Toole spiked kills to tie the set 23-23. Mobile would ultimately reach set point first after a Marian error, but a kill from Wilkinson and Ram attack error put Marian back at the line for set point. With the score 25-24 in favor the Knights, the Rams charged ahead with consecutive points to once again see match point, but a Khori Dryden kill delayed the celebration, tying the set 26-26. Needing two to win, it would be Mobile who took the next two rallies, getting a kill before winning the match on a Marian attack error, ending the Knights' season as the Rams won the fourth set 28-26.

Nicole Wilkinson gave her all for the Knights in her final collegiate match, logging a match-high 16 kills while hitting .351 from the middle. The senior hitter had six total blocks, and logged three digs. Cook finished the night with 15 kills, while Dryden had nine kills and 18 digs. Mya Cunningham recorded a team-high 27 assists, and Sami Luttel had  23 assists. Avery Toole would record a season-high five total blocks in the loss, and Emma Lyons finished the night with a team-best 19 digs. Lyons became Marian's all-time leader in digs in the beginning of the second set, breaking Megan Hawley's career record set during Marian's 2019 NAIA National Championship run. The senior libero finished her career with 2032 career digs. 

Marian ends their season with an 18-12 record in head coach Ryan Bowerman's first season at the helm of the program. The Knights earned the program's ninth-consecutive trip to the NAIA postseason in 2025.

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