Fort Wayne, Ind. — The Marian University Volleyball team extended their season-opening win streak to seven matches with a win over Defiance before suffering their first loss of the season in a five-set thriller versus Fisk University on Saturday at the Onset Invitational in Fort Wayne. Senior setter Sami Luttel eclipsed the 1,000 career assist mark over the weekend.
MATCH ONE | Marian 3, Defiance 1
TEAM STATISTICS
- Marian recorded 57 kills to 44 for Defiance
- The Knights held a slight 8-7 edge in assists
- The Yellow Jackets led 11-7 in blocks
- MU led 62-50 in digs
- Marian hit .252, while Defiance hit .178
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
- Khori Dryden logged a season-high 17 kills on a .364 hitting percentage along with a team-high 15 digs
- Chloe Cook added 15 kills at a .324 clip
- Sami Luttel and Mya Cunningham both tallied 23 assists
- Luttel eclipsed 1,000 career assists over the weekend
- Callaway Marsh picked up 13 digs
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST SET
- Three straight Marian points forced a Defiance timeout with the Knights, leading 15-11
- The Knights led 20-13, but the Yellow Jackets cut the deficit to 21-18
- Evie Dart closed out the opening set with a kill
SECOND SET
- Defiance led 8-5 early, but the Knights regained the lead; Defiance had to take a timeout after Emerson Evans' ace made it 19-16
- Another Evans ace and two kills from Ava Tindall pushed the lead to 22-16
- Danielle Schade closed out set two with a kill
THIRD SET
- Marian reached match point leading 24-21 in the third
- The Yellow Jackets rattled off five straight points to take the frame and avoid the sweep
FOURTH SET
- Dryden's kill put Marian ahead 18-16 to force a Defiance timeout
- The Knights led 23-17 before the Yellow Jackets pulled on more late-set momentum to tie the set at 23
- An attack error and Schade's kill closed out the match
MATCH TWO | Fisk 3, Marian 2
TEAM STATISTICS
- Fisk recorded 62 kills to Marian's 46
- The Bulldogs has 12 aces to the Knights' 10
- Both teams registered eight blocks and 72 digs
- Fisk hit .202, while the Knights hit .135
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
- Cook had a team-high 15 kills, 14 digs and three aces
- Schade added 10 kills on just 21 swings, good for a .429 hitting percentage
- Luttel led the Knights with 22 assists
- Dart picked up four blocks
- Dryden paced the team with 17 digs, while Marsh added 12
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST SET
- Fisk took an early 8-4 lead in the opening set that drew a Marian timeout
- The Bulldogs grew the lead to 15-9
- The Knights got within four at 21-17, but Fisk handled the opening frame
SECOND SET
- Dryden's kill forced a Fisk timeout with the Knights ahead 12-7
- The Knights' lead grew to 15-7 near the midway point
- The Bulldogs cut the deficit to two at multiple points, but two Cook kills and Cunningham's ace tied the match at one set apiece
THIRD SET
- Fisk jumped out to an 18-11 lead in the third
- Four straight Marian points cut the deficit to four and forced a Bulldog timeout
- The Bulldogs finished out the third set, 25-19
FOURTH SET
- Cook's kill pushed the lead to 17-12 in the fourth to force a Fisk timeout
- The Bulldogs cut the deficit to three and then 23-24, but an attack error allowed the Knights to force a decisive fifth set
FIFTH SET
- Marian opened up a 4-2 lead in the fifth, but Fisk rattled off five straight points to take an early 7-4 advantage
- Evans' ace and Dryden's kill highlighted a five-point Marian run that pushed the Knights in front, 10-9
- Five straight Fisk points got the Bulldogs to match point
- The Knights fought off one match point, but the Bulldogs earned the fifth-set win
UP NEXT
- Marian opens up Crossroads League action on Wednesday, heading north to Mishawaka to take on Bethel at 7 p.m.
