MARION, Ind. - No. 21 Marian gave No. 7 Indiana Wesleyan all they had on Wednesday night in Luckey Arena, but the Knights' upset bid against the Wildcats came up short, as the visitors fell in five sets against the defending NAIA Champions. Marian won sets one and four, but fell 15-12 in set five of the 3-2 defeat, falling to 11-5 on the season and 3-4 in the Crossroads League.

Marian dominated in set one, taking advantage of 11 Indiana Wesleyan attack errors as they scored a 25-19 victory. Danielle Schade and Chloe Cook scored kills early in the set as the Knights grew a 7-5 lead, and later in the game a 5-0 run fueled by three Cook kills expanded the lead to five. Nicole Wilkinson helped log one of three first set blocks, leading to the 1-0 match advantage. The Knights had their second-highest hitting percentage of the match in the game, scoring a .250 hitting mark on 32 swings.

The Knights' block carried Marian throughout set two, however, the team was unable to secure a 2-0 lead as the home team roared back in a 26-24 win. Sarah Bennett, Khori Dryden, and Nicole Wilkinson helped Marian combine for five total blocks in the game, as the two sides traded points throughout the set. Set two featured five lead changes and 15 ties, as neither team could keep momentum. Marian trailed 12-15 before storming back with a 3-0 run, and later used a 6-2 run paced by two Dryden kills to take a 23-19 lead. Indiana Wesleyan used their final timeout and turned to the reigning NAIA Player of the Year Eva Joldersma, as their senior scored 3.5 points to help the Wildcats retaliate on their set-winning 6-1 run.

The match leveled at one set each, and in set three, Indiana Wesleyan took a 2-1 match lead, as they overpowered Marian 25-17. Marian recorded 12 kills in the set and hit .114, but it failed to keep up with the Wildcats, as their 13-kill set resulted in a .263 hitting percentage. Marian established two leads in set two behind spikes from Ava Tindall and Dryden, but a Wildcat run would wash the promising start. Indiana Wesleyan found their blocking routine in set three with five total rejections, and pushed to the set victory as they closed the game on a 6-2 run.

Marian recovered in set four, powering back to even the match as they won the game 25-20. Early errors from the Wildcats helped establish a 4-2 lead, while two Dryden kills from Mya Cunningham helped the Knights win the race to 10 points. Marian never trailed in set four and used an ace from Emerson Evans to cap a 4-0 run that pushed the team in front by six. The Wildcats would pressure Marian and claw within four, but they were unable to overcome their deficit, as the sharp-shooting Knights finished the victory with a Nicole Wilkinson kill. Marian had 14 kills in the set four win, and hit a red-hot .387. 

The Knights' efforts put Indiana Wesleyan in rare territory, as the Wildcats faced set five for the fourth time on the season, while Marian earned just the second and third set victories against the Cats in the CL season. 

Set five began with a 3-0 sprint for Indiana Wesleyan, but the start would be answered by a 5-2 mark of Marian. Dryden and Schade played a role in the run, while another Dryden kill four rallies later kept the set tied. Indiana Wesleyan scored their eighth point to flip the playing court with an 8-7 lead, but Marian would again counter with a Dryden spike. Tied 8-8, Marian saw the match slip momentarily as Indiana Wesleyan embarked on a 3-1 run to gain control. A timeout would upend the rhythm and get Marian a needed side out, however, Indiana Wesleyan prevailed through the stoppage, finishing the night on a 4-3 edge to claim the 15-12 win.

In the valiant fight, Marian saw Khori Dryden and Chloe Cook each record double-digit kills, with Dryden leading the way in her 17-kill and 12-dig effort. Cook had 14 kills, and Danielle Schade had eight in the defeat. Sarah Bennett led the blocking charge with six total rejections, and Emma Lyons had a team-high 25 digs. Both Mya Cunningham and Sami Luttel recorded 24 assists in the loss. 

The Knights will aim to get back in the win column on Saturday afternoon, as they host Goshen College in their first home match in 15 days. The match is scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m.

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