Marion Athletics -

Valley View had pushed Marion almost all the way to the brink last Thursday night at Fidelity Bank Arena.

The Blazers had won the first two sets and forced Marion to burn its second and final timeout of the third set as the Patriots trailed 18-13.

But almost all the way to the brink isn't all the way to the brink.

Marion stormed back to steal set No. 3, and then the fourth frame, and when the Patriots won the fifth and deciding set, the home team had rallied for one of the more dramatic victories of recent times, topping Valley View in five sets (21-25, 18-25, 25-21, 25-21, and 15-7).

The Patriot victory ensured that MHS can finish no worse than the No. 1 seed this year's Class 5A state volleyball tournament, and Marion can clinch its fourth conference title in five seasons Tuesday evening with a victory at West Memphis.

Marion (21-2 overall, 13-0 5A East) got a match-high 26 kills from senior Kennedy Bullins, while Jaida Sturdivant checked in with 15, and Kendall Brown finished with 11. Bullins served five aces, while Reese Goodwin also recorded one. Bullins registered a staggering 13 blocks against Valley View, including six for points, while Brown and Sturdivant tallied three apiece. Abbigale Simmons clocked a team-high 31 digs in the five-set classic, while Brown handled 24 digs, and Kaitlyn Austin stacked 20. Taylor Chamness and Claire Brinkley logged 29 assists apiece in the victory.

Valley View earned the first two sets in front of a raucous Fidelity Bank Arena crowd last Thursday, and the Blazers trailed only briefly in the third set, building that 18-13 lead.

The Marion rally began in earnest with a hitting error, followed by a Goodwin kill, and a Bullins ace that pushed the Pats within 18-16 and forced a Blazer timeout.

Back-to-back kills by Sturdivant got Marion even, and a block from Bullins followed by a Bullins ace gave Marion a 20-18 advantage.

A Brown kill gave the Pats a 22-20 lead, followed by a Sturdivant kill, and when Bullins tallied a kill and a block, Marion had scored a dramatic 25-21 victory to force a fourth set.

The Blazers led during most of the first half of that fourth frame, bolting out to a 13-10 advantage, and still led 20-17 as Marion called timeout.

Out of the stoppage, Chamness hooked up with Sturdivant twice, followed by a Bullins ace that tied the frame at 20 apiece as Valley View called for time.

Consecutive Bullins kills gave the Pats a 22-21 lead, and Bullins and Brown combined for the final three points to give Marion yet another 25-21 conquest in the fourth set.

Marion opened the deciding fifth set by scoring the first four points as Bullins tallied a block point and a pair of kills.

The Patriot run hit 9-2, followed by a pair of kills by Brown and two from Bullins, the latter of which forced the Blazers to burn their second and final timeout of the crucial frame.

Down the stretch, Brown blocked the final two Valley View kill attempts at the net for points, giving her team an exhilarating home victory.

It was the third season in a row that Marion topped Valley View in five sets at home.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Marion plays at West Memphis on Tuesday evening, and you can watch the varsity match for free on the MPAN YouTube channel.

5A EAST RESULTS FROM 10/9
Marion 3, Valley View 2
Greene Co. Tech 3, Paragould 2
Nettleton 3, Batesville 2
Searcy 3, W. Memphis 0

5A EAST STANDINGS ON 10/13
SCHOOL CONF. RECORD
MARION 13-0*+
Valley View 10-3*
Greene Co. Tech 8-5
Paragould 7-6
Mountain Home 5-7
Batesville 5-7
Nettleton 4-8
Searcy 3-10
W. Memphis 0-12
*clinched state playoff spot
+clinched No. 1 seed and share of conference title

5A EAST MATCHES ON 10/14
Marion at W. Memphis
Mountain Home at Valley View
Nettleton at Paragould
Searcy at Batesville