Marion completes Jonesboro sweep

Marion completes Jonesboro sweep

Lady Pats stay in the hunt for league title

Sports Editor

JONESBORO — There are few schools in the state of Arkansas that boast more volleyball tradition than the Jonesboro Golden Hurricane.

With 11 state titles to its name, the Craighead County school is always a tough out for any team in a conference title race or a state tournament. Last night, Marion nearly found out the hard way, as the Lady Pats invaded Don Riggs Hurricane Gymnasium and went home with a four-set victory (25-17, 24-26, 25-16 and 25-19) to improve to 28-3 overall and 16-1 in the 6A/5AEast.

“I’m thrilled to death right now. For a number of reasons, but mainly it secured our number 1 seed in the conference tournament,” said Marion head coach Lisa Beasley. “Anytime you can beat a team like Jonesboro, that’s a big win. Home, away or wherever, it doesn’t really matter.”

Marion can clinch at least a share of the league title with a win at home against Nettleton on Thursday night. The Lady Pats have not won or shared a conference title since the 2011 team won its third consecutive league crown, in addition to that season’s Class 6A state title. Last night, Marion stayed on the inside for this year’s league title by holding serve early in the first set before scoring four straight times to open up a 15-12 lead that forced a Jonesboro timeout.

The hosts would tie the score after the timeout, but Marion senior Sara Betts would post a kill and serve an ace later to get Marion to a 20-18 lead.

Ahead 23-17, Marion senior Gabi Catt would serve aces on the last two points to clinch the opening set for the Lady Pats. The second set was a nip-and-tuck affair that Jonesboro took control of down the stretch.

Marion led by as much as 2320, but Jonesboro scored six of the last seven points to even the match up at one set apiece, making the rest of the match a best-two-of-three.

The crucial third set opened up with Marion senior Ally Bramucci posting a kill, serving an ace and setting up classmate Annalee Parker for a kill and the visitors led a 7-3 lead early. Betts and Parker would account for a 4-0 Marion later as the duo would alternate kills for a 12-7 advantage.

However, Jonesboro would post kills on five straight points themselves and tie the game at 16-all as that stanza crept to the latter stages.

However, Marion proved to be brutally efficient in closing this set out. The Lady Pats would score the last nine points of the set to storm that 25-16 win and a 2-1 match advantage.

Parker and Betts were heard from during that stretch as the former came up with 3 kills and an ace and the latter came up with 4 kills to get Marion near the finish line.

Jonesboro responded in the fourth set by taking as much as a 12-8 lead on their quest to force a fifth, and deciding, set. However, Betts would post kills on consecutive plays and Sarah Burford would post one, while Catt and Destiny King teamed up for a block at the net to knot the score at 15-all.

That set up Parker, who posted 3 kills before scoring on a tip to give the Lady Pats a lead that would force a Jonesboro timeout. From there, it was Bramucci time as Marion’s number 5 posted kills on backto- back plays before teaming up with King for a block and Betts would close the action out with a kill.

Marion will honor eight seniors on Thursday night prior to the Nettleton match.

By Chuck Livingston