BATESVILLE --- The top volleyball teams in the country typically excel in serve/receive, whether fielding serves from the opposition and making a good pass, or by doing damage at the stripe when it’s your turn to serve.
By that standard, Marion had one of the better nights of recent memory in serve/receive last Thursday night at Batesville.
The Patriots improved to 14-1 overall and 6-0 in the 5A East with a three-set victory (25-16, 25-16, 25-15) at Pioneer Gymnasium by serving 19 aces as a team, including 10 from senior Alli “Gator” Sharp, while seniors Annabelle White and Bren Sutton finished with three aces apiece, Marlee Williams served a pair, and Claire Brinkley recorded one.
White and Kendall Brown were nails receiving at Batesville, each tallying 16 digs apiece, while Brinkley logged 10.
Marion hosts Paragould on Tuesday, September 22 at 3M Transit Arena, a meeting of the last two unbeaten teams in the 5A East. On Thursday, Marion travels to play Searcy, and you can watch both of those contests for free on the Marion Patriots Activities Network if you can not attend in person.
The Pats were locked in from the jump last Thursday at Batesville, scoring the first six points of the first set to force a Pioneer timeout.
Kills from Brinkley and Brown, along with Sharp’s first two aces, started the run, while Sharp added two more aces after the stoppage as Marion led 9-0.
An ace from Sutton gave Marion its first double-digit lead (17-7) of the initial set, and a Williams kill helped Marion ease out to a nine-point victory in the first frame.
Marion led 13-10 in the second set when Brown slammed home a kill, Williams served an ace, and Taylor Ruffin came up with a kill as the Patriot lead hit 18-10, and a White ace gave Marion a 24-14 lead en route to another 25-16 conquest.
The teams split the first 16 points of the third set, but Marion took the lead for good on a kill from Williams, and she followed that with an ace; when Sharp served three aces in a row, Marion’s lead was 14-9.
Brown took over from there, scoring three straight points late in the third, and a White ace gave Marion a 24-13 lead.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Marion hosts Paragould on Tuesday, September 22 at 3M Transit Arena, a meeting of the last two unbeaten teams in the 5A East. On Thursday, Marion travels to play Searcy, and you can watch both of those contests for free on the Marion Patriots Activities Network if you can not attend in person.
5A EAST RESULTS FROM 9/17
Marion 3, Batesville 0
Paragould 3, Searcy 1
Greene Co. Tech 3, Nettleton 0
Valley View 3, Beebe 0
5A EAST STANDINGS ON 9/21
TEAM CONF. RECORD
Marion 6-0
Paragould 6-0
Valley View 5-1
Searcy 4-2
Greene Co. Tech 3-4
Nettleton 2-5
Batesville 1-5
Beebe 1-5
W. Memphis 0-6
5A EAST GAMES ON 9/22
Paragould at Marion
Nettleton at Searcy
Batesville at Valley View
Beebe at W. Memphis