INDIANAPOLIS - Backed by a strong attack and a relentless blocking effort in the third set, the Marian volleyball team polished off their second consecutive sweep on the young season, ousting IU-Columbus 3-0 on Wednesday night. Marian is 4-1 on the season following the win.

Marian wasted no time pouncing on Columbus, as an ace on the opening rally of the night from Chloe Cook helped ignite an early 5-1 surge. Khori Dryden and Sarah Bennett paced the offense with strong shots, and a dump kill from Sami Luttel forced a timeout early in the set with the Knights on top 13-6. The Crimson Pride would roar back and claw within three; however, Dryden and Mya Cunningham stopped the momentum, as the junior landed a kill while the freshman delivered her first ace in front of the home crowd to expand the lead to seven. Marian won the race to 20 and forced set point, leading 24-17, ultimately taking the opening game 25-20 on a hammer from Nicole Wilkinson.

An early run in the second set once again gave Marian a strong start, with the middle hitters Wilkinson and Bennett driving a quick 5-2 lead. Cook scored the team's 10th point of the set on an assist from the freshman Cunningham, while Dryden and Wilkinson eventually forced a timeout with a 12-6 lead at hand. Marian's lead never dropped below four in the second set after the timeout, as kills from Ava Tindall and Wilkinson pushed the Knights to a 2-0 lead. Tindall sparked the team's closing 6-1 run in the second set, with a block from Danielle Schade and Nicole Wilkinson ending the set 25-16. 

Controlling the match with a 2-0 lead, Marian employed a different rotation in the third set, with Evie Dart sparking the scoreboard with an early kill and block. Dart continued to be active in the scoring, recording two more block assists and a kill to drive the Knights in front 9-3, forcing a timeout. Columbus would scratch back within two of Marian mid-way through the set as a 4-0 run forced a Knights timeout. The stoppage allowed Marian to collect themselves, and out of the break the composure was found as Sarah Bennett quickly added to the lead with a swing in the middle. Tindall and Cook pushed Marian to a 20-16 lead, while a block from Schade forced match point. On match point two, Cook was the recipient of a Callaway Marsh pass, with the junior slamming the match-clinching kill to seal a third set 25-19 win. 

The sweep is the second of the season for the Knights, closing the doors on the team's first home win of the year. Chloe Cook led all Marian hitters with 10 kills and a .455 hitting percentage on 22 swings, while Sarah Bennett hit a blazing .636, going 7-11 on the attack. Mya Cunningham recorded a team-best 18 assists as the Knights used each of their four setters in the win, and Lexa Zimmerman had a team-high nine digs in her first match as a libero. Wilkinson collected four block assists, while Schade, Bennett, and Dart each had three. 

Marian will aim to keep their winning ways this weekend when they travel to IU-South Bend, playing in the Michiana Mayhem Labor Day Tournament. Marian plays Defiance and IU-East on Friday afternoon, before facing Columbia International and the host Titans on Saturday. 

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