Patriots handle Raiders in straight set sweep

Marion volleyball stays unbeaten with road win over Nettleton

Marion School District JONESBORO —- Marion senior Anna Caroline Fesmire attacked the net and posted a kill to extend her Patriots’ lead just as she’d done thousands of times in her volleyball career.

With one notable exception: she pounded the ball with her left, off hand and exchanged a laugh with her teammates.

It was that type of night for Fesmire and the Marion Patriots, who improved to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in 5AEast play in a three-set victory (25-13, 25-17 and 2516) Tuesday night at Nettleton Raider Gym.

“I’m always happy to get a road win, especially at Nettleton,” said Marion coach Lisa Beasley. “The Raiders are really scrappy defensively and well coached. I thought we really fought through some inconsistency and took down a win we needed.”

Marion senior Daedrianna Cail posted a team-high 17 kills while senior Kora Wilson logged 16 kills.

Fesmire finished with 13 kills while classmate Lauryn Keith and Fesmire each tallied 18 assists.

Senior Madison Keith, twin to Lauryn, logged a teamhigh 22 digs on the back row. Marion and Nettleton split the first six points of the first set before the Patriots embarked on a run of five straight points, highlighted by a Meredith Williams kill and an ace by Lauryn Keith. Blocks by Kiah Rucker and Cail and a pair of kills by Wilson staked Marion to an 18-12 advantage and forced a Nettleton timeout.

The stoppage did little to stop the Marion onslaught as the visiting Patriots scored six of the final seven points to coast to a 25-13 victory.

The run continued into the second set as Marion scored the first seven points, sparked by a pair of kills from Fesmire and Cail and two aces from Wilson.

Not to be denied, Nettleton dug back into the set by scoring 12 of the next 20 points, to get within 15-12 and force a Marion timeout.

Following the stoppage, the Patriots took advantage of a Nettleton serving error

Continued on Page 14 falling 52-6 in lopsided finish.

Photo by Londa Hamrick PATRIOTS (cont.) and scored four of five points to earn a 19-13 lead courtesy of a Fesmire kill

before Fesmire set for a Cail kill and a Rucker kill. Fesmire scored or assisted on five of the final six Marion points as the Patriots earned a 25-17 victory.

Marion ran to a 7-5 lead early in the third set before Wilson pounded three straight kills to force a Nettleton timeout.

Seniors Kiara Ledezma, Wilson, Fesmire and Cail recorded two kills apiece late in the third set to lead by as much as 21-11 before a pair of Nettleton hitting errors clinched the 25-16 final for Marion.

Marion and Jonesboro are the final two unbeaten teams in the 5A-East standings.

Marion hosts Searcy at Fidelity Bank Arena Thursday night. That game will be streamed on marionpatriots. com.

Photo by Londa Hamrick