Knights Take Down No. 12 Mount Vernon in Five Set Rally

Mount Vernon, Ohio- The Marian volleyball team defeated No. 12 Mount Vernon in a five set rally on the road in Mount Vernon Ohio. The Knights moved to 15-7 overall on the season and 7-6 in the Crossroads League. 

Mount Vernon took game one getting an early 17-9 lead over the Knights. Marian pushed back with key kills from Khori Dryden, and Nicole Wilkinson as well as benefitting off of attacking errors from the Cougars to draw a timeout with a 21-20 score. Mount Vernon fired back with a 3-0 run to take the 25-21 win over the Knights.

Marian took set two early with kills from Wilkinson, Chloe Cook, and Dryden as well as benefitting off of attacking errors to get up to a 9-7 lead. The set continued to bounce between the lead with Cook, Mya Cunningham, and Dryden recording solid kills to maintain the lead throughout the set. Marian was able to end the set with a 3-0 run highlighted by Dryden's kill to take set two 26-24. 

Mount Vernon took set three in a similar fashion to the first set with a 5-3 lead before Marian fired back with kills from Dryden and Cook as well as an ace from Sami Luttel to tie the set 10-10. The Knights held the set close with kills from Wilkinson, Dryden, Cook, Avery Toole but came up short ending the set with a win for the Cougars 25-21. 

Marian took set four forcing to force a fifth set with Wilkinson opening the set with a kill and assisted block with Cunningham. The Knights got up to a 11-8 lead with kills from Cook, Wilkinson, and Dryden. Before the Cougars pushed back but Marian was able to control the set with multiple runs highlighted by blocks from Wilkinson and Toole as well as kills from Dryden, Cook, and Sarah Bennett to take the 25-18 win. 

The Knights were full steam ahead in the fifth set taking the early 7-5 lead with Bennett, and Toole recording key kills as well as an ace from Emerson Evans to draw a Mount Vernon timeout. Out of the timeout the Cougars were able to go on a 3-0 run but Marian quickly followed up with a 5-0 run followed by the final three points from kills from Cunningham and Wilkinson. 

Dryden had a solid outing recording a double-double with 15 kills and 14 digs and a hitting percentage of .189. Chloe Cook recorded 15 kills on the evening with one ace and four digs. Nicole Wilkinson recorded 11 kills and six assisted blocks on the evening. Emma Lyons led the team in digs for the evening with 17. 

Marian will be back in action on Wednesday October 22nd as they host (RV) Huntington University at 7 PM.

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