Marion celebrated its seniors prior to action last Thursday night, and then celebrated a big home conference victory later on.
The Patriots stayed on top of the 5A East all by their lonesome by besting Batesville in three sets (25-20, 25-17, and 25-20), improving to 18-2 overall and 11-0 in league play.
Marion remains busy this week with a non-conference tilt Monday afternoon at Brookland, a crucial road match against third-place Paragould on Tuesday, and a home match at Fidelity Bank Arena Thursday afternoon against second-place Valley View. You can view all three varsity matches for free on the MPAN YouTube channel.
The Pats got a match-high 16 kills from Kendall Brown, while Kennedy Bullins finished with 13, and Kaitlyn Austin tallied six. Abbigale Simmons and Bullins served a pair of aces, while Brown, Bullins, and Sturdivant each came up with a block point. Simmons and Brown each logged a team-high 12 digs, while Austin finished with 11. Reese Goodwin led the way with 19 assists, while Taylor Chamness stacked 18 assists.
Batesville took an early 12-6 lead in the first set at Marion to force a Patriot timeout, and the hosts responded at once, scoring 12 of the next 16 points to tie the set at 16. Brown came up with a pair of kills, while Sturdivant logged one, the latter tying the set.
A Brown kill gave Marion the lead for good at 20-19, and a Simmons ace clinched a five-point victory in set No. 1.
Marion never trailed in the second set, bolting to a 9-2 lead behind three kills from Bullins, two from Brown, and a pair of Bullins aces.
The hosts took a double-digit lead (15-5) on a Pioneer hitting error and closed out late when Austin, Goodwin, and Sturdivant came up with kills.
Batesville put Marion in an early 4-0 hole in the third set, but Marion hit the comeback trail to tie the set at 7 with an Aynslee Coad kill.
A Brown kill and a Sturdivant block helped Marion tie the set at 17, and the Pats pulled ahead for good behind three Austin kills and a pair from Sturdivant.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Marion remains busy this week with a non-conference tilt Monday afternoon at Brookland, a crucial road match against third-place Paragould on Tuesday, and a home match at Fidelity Bank Arena Thursday afternoon against second-place Valley View. You can view all three varsity matches for free on the MPAN YouTube channel.
5A EAST RESULTS FROM 10/2
Marion 3, Batesville 0
Paragould 3, Searcy 0
Nettleton 3, Greene Co. Tech 2
5A EAST STANDINGS ON 10/6
SCHOOL CONF. RECORD
Marion 11-0
Valley View 8-2
Paragould 7-4
Greene Co. Tech 6-5
Mountain Home 5-5
Batesville 5-6
Nettleton 3-8
Searcy 2-8
W. Memphis 0-10
5A EAST MATCHES ON 10/7
Marion at Paragould
W. Memphis at Valley View
Searcy at Greene Co. Tech
Mountain Home at Batesville