COLLIERVILLE, TN & PARAGOULD --- The Marion volleyball team has made a habit of getting off to fast starts so far in 2025.
Take last week's road trips to Collierville and Greene County Tech, for instance.
Marion jumped Collierville in the opening set last Tuesday before falling in four sets (21-25, 25-22, 25-23, and 25-21) inside MyTownMovers Fieldhouse, but the Patriots improved to 2-1 so far this fall on Thursday evening with a three-set victory (25-20, 25-7, and 25-19) at Greene County Tech's Multipurpose Gym.
The Tech victory helped Marion reach 1-0 in 5A East play ahead of conference dates this week at home on Tuesday evening against Nettleton, and Thursday night at Batesville. You can watch the Nettleton and Batesville volleyball matches for free on the Marion Patriot Activities Network YouTube channel.
The high-profile non-conference tilt at Collierville saw Kendall Brown register 13 kills, while Kaitlyn Austin finished with 12, and Kennedy Bullins tallied eight. Austin served five aces, while Reese Goodwin served a pair; Taylor Chamness, Bullins, and Brown each finished with one. Abby Simmons led the way with 23 digs, while Austin stacked 21, and Annabelle White stacked 10. Claire Brinkley was tops with 18 assists, while Chamness logged 13.
At Greene County Tech, Bullins and Brown each tallied 10 kills, while Austin stacked six. Simmons led Marion with 10 digs and four aces, and Brown and Austin served two aces apiece. Austin finished with 10 digs. Chamness handed out 16 assists and tallied eight digs, while Brinkley finished with 10 assists.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Marion hosts Nettleton on Tuesday evening inside Fidelity Bank Arena, and the Patriots travel on Thursday afternoon to Batesville. Each match will begin at 4:30 p.m., and you can watch for free on the Marion Patriot Activities Network YouTube channel.
The Nettleton date will feature the 7th grade, junior high varsity, senior high junior varsity, and senior high varsity, while the Batesville match boasts the junior high junior varsity, junior high varsity, and then the high school varsity