INDIANAPOLIS - The 16th-ranked Marian volleyball team built a 2-1 lead on Friday night in a top-20 showdown with No. 15 Mount Vernon Nazarene, but was unable to close out the victory, dropping in five sets against the Cougars 3-2. Marian is now 10-3 overall on the season following the loss, moving to 2-2 in the Crossroads League.
The Knights jumped out to a big lead in the first set, using a pair of Sarah Bennet blocks and an
Avery Toole kill to grab an 8-1 advantage. Marian's strong start continued through a Cougar timeout as
Chloe Cook and
Nicole Wilkinson grew Marian's score. The Cougars clawed within two points but were denied at adding to their total by
Avery Toole, who scored a kill to spark a 5-1 run. The sprint gave Marian a 17-11 lead, which they used confidently in finishing off set one 25-17 with an
Emma Lyons service ace.
Set two opened tight, with each side trading points. The first 10 rallies saw Marian hold a 6-4 lead following a
Chloe Cook lead, however, the Cougars would answer with a one-sided 8-1 run that gave Mount Vernon Nazarene the lead.
Ava Tindall snapped the run out of a Marian timeout, but the Knights were unable to continue stacking points, eventually falling behind 19-11. Marian used a timeout to get back in system and scored on a Toole kill, starting a comeback effort. Toole's swing sparked a 9-2 run, allowing the Knights to inch within a point of their opposition. Trailing 21-20, an untimely attack error from
Chloe Cook snapped the scoring spree and gave the Cougars the serving edge, who used the free point to go on a closing 3-2 job, winning 25-22.
With the match evened at one set each, the two sides battled early and often in the third set, each trying to take advantage heading into set four. Mount Vernon grew the first sizable lead as they pushed in front 10-6, but Marian had an answer as a Cook kill and block from
Nicole Wilkinson and
Danielle Schade brought the score within one. Schade later scored a kill that made pulled Marian back in the lead, and after a series of exchanged points, Marian took a 17-15 lead. Wilkinson scored the kill to force a Cougar timeout, keeping Marian in the lead for the remainder of the set. The game would tie at 18, but an error allowed the Knights to pull away, as the home team scored a 25-21 victory in set three.
Marian led 2-1 after set three, but were gassed going into set four, as they failed to find continuity on the offensive and defensive sides of the net. Mount Vernon handily won set four 25-10, as the Knights hit -.189 in the game while the Cougars scored at a .225 clip.
The loss in set four forced the fifth and deciding game, and in the set, neither team was able to gain control, as the score tied seven times in 14 rallies. Mount Vernon took the first true lead as they scored consecutive points to lead 6-5, but Marian responded as consecutive Cougar errors on rally 14 and 15 pushed the Knights in front 8-7. The teams exchanged sides of the net, but Marian could not stack the momentum, giving up five unanswered points. The Knights used two timeouts to try and stop the avalanche of points, eventually getting a side out on an
Avery Toole kill; however, despite getting within one of the Cougars, Marian could not close the game as they fell in set five 15-12.
The Knights scored just 42 kills as a team against Mount Vernon's 58, hitting .038 percent less than their opponent.
Ava Tindall had a team-high 10 kills in the loss, while recording three blocks.
Sarah Bennett had five total blocks and three kills, while
Emma Lyons led the back row players with a match-high 36 digs.
Sami Luttel had a double-double with 18 assists and 10 digs, and
Lexa Zimmerman recorded 24 digs in the loss.
Marian takes the road for their next three matches, first traveling to Huntington on Wednesday, September 17. The match will begin at 7:00 p.m.
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