MARION AND BONO --- The Marion Patriots did not want to duck any competition in defending their Class 5A state volleyball championship this season.
After two games, it seems like Marion should stack up well again in 2026.
The Patriots opened their 2026 campaign on Monday night at Fidelity Bank Arena with a four-set victory over Collierville (TN) (25-17, 18-25, 25-21, 25-6), a perennial power from across the bridge.
Then, Marion took its show on the road for the first time this fall, picking up a dramatic five-set victory (20-25, 25-17, 25-16, 23-25, 15-9) at 2025 Class 4A state runner-up Westside at Warrior Gymnasium.
The 2-0 start to 2026 gave Marion 21 straight victories dating back to September 6, 2025, a season in which the Patriots finished 28-2 overall, won the 5A East league title outright, and earned the fourth state volleyball championship in program history (2010, 2011, 2015 and 2025).
Marion hosts Valley View on Thursday evening at Fidelity Bank Arena to open 5A East play, a contest that you can watch for free on the MPAN YouTube channel if you can not attend in person.
Marion swapped haymakers with Collierville early on in the initial set on Monday night, as the teams split the first 28 points, but that's when the Patriots embarked on the first true run of the match.
The spurt started when senior Kendall Brown came up with a kill, followed by a block, followed by a Collierville hitting error that gave the hosts a 17-14 advantage.
Leading 19-16, a Brown kill led to an ace from Claire Brinkley, followed by another Brown kill, and when Brinkley served another ace, Marion's lead was 23-16, en route to an eight-point conquest in the opener.
But Collierville took the lead early in the second set to claim a 25-18 victory to even the match at a set apiece.
Set No. 3 was virtually even early on, but it was the Dragons who opened up the first big run, scoring five straight points for a 17-11 lead, to force a Marion timeout.
After the stoppage, Marion got consecutive blocks from Brown and Marlee Williams, followed by a Williams kill to work within 17-14.
Two kills from Brown and an ace from Brinkley got Marion even at 19, forcing a Dragon timeout.
Taylor Ruffin gave Marion its first lead since 3-2 with a kill, and Marion closed out Collierville in the crucial third set with an ace from Annabelle White and a Dragon hitting error as the Pats claimed a four-point victory.
Marion rode the wave of momentum into the fourth set, bolting out to leads of 8-2 after Brinkley set Brown three times for kills.
Back-to-back kills from Ruffin and Brown led immediately to three straight aces from White to give Marion its first double-digit lead (15-5) of the set, forcing a Collierville timeout.
The Marion onslaught continued after the stoppage as Bren Sutton delivered back-to-back aces, and Marion slammed the door on the Dragons when Williams tallied three straight kills for an impressive 19-point victory in the fourth frame.
The Pats rolled into Bono Tuesday evening for another premier non-conference tilt, but the Warriors got the jump on the Pats, taking the lead at 19-18 and staying ahead for a five-point win.
But Marion countered in the second stanza, getting blocks for consecutive points from Williams and Ruffin, an ace from Alli “Gator” Sharp, and a Williams kill for a 5-2 advantage.
A Brinkley ace pushed the Pats' lead to 10-5, and a pair of kills from Brown, followed by a Brown block, gave Marion a 17-10 lead to force a Warrior timeout.
Marion evened the match officially when Brown and Ruffin came up with two kills apiece, while Sutton and Williams also tallied points for a 25-17 Marion conquest.
Back-to-back kills by Ruffin and a Williams ace gave Marion a 5-1 lead to open the third set, and the lead expanded to 17-11 after Williams, Ruffin, and Sutton slammed kills, and Williams added an ace.
A Brinkley ace gave Marion a double-digit lead at 22-12, and a Brown ace helped clinch the third set for Marion at 25-16.
Marion led a potential close-out set in the fourth frame 21-18 following a Ruffin kill, but the Warriors scored seven of the last nine points to even the match and force a decisive fifth set.
Marion got the jump in the race to 15 when Brown recorded back-to-back kills, followed by a Sharp ace and a Brown block for a 4-0 Marion advantage.
Following four straight Warrior points, Brinkley hit Brown for a kill, Williams served an ace, Brown tallied two kills while Ruffin and Sutton had one apiece, giving Marion an 11-7 lead as Westside called for time.
Two kills and a block by Williams pushed Marion to the brink, and a Warrior hitting error provided the final point in a six-point Patriot win.
CASHLESS TICKETS
Fans attending Thursday night's contest at home against Valley View can purchase tickets in advance by following the link below.
Tickets cost $7 apiece and are good for the entire evening of volleyball, which begins at 4:30 p.m. with a 7th grade match, followed by a junior high A match, and then the high school varsity match.
If you can not attend the Valley View match, you can watch for free on the MPAN YouTube channel.