PATRIOTS (cont.)
tured two kills from Allison, and one apiece from Rucker and Bullins to force a Beebe timeout.
Miller served an ace before assisting Rucker twice and Shinabery once for kills and Marion’s lead swelled to 20-12. Austin served an ace, and set Shinabery for a kill before Miller set Williams for a kill, and a 25-14 opening-set conquest.
The second set was a Marion jam session, featuring the Pats scoring the first four points, and 11 of the first 12. Rucker recorded a block and a kill just before Chamness recorded a kill of her own for a 4-0 advantage. Miller blocked a kill attempt and set Rucker twice as Marion earned an 11-1 advantage.
Miller’s deft passing motored Marion to a 15-3 lead as she twice set Shinabery and Williams once for kills. Williams responded by logging a pair of kills and serving an ace for a 22-8 advantage before a Bullins kill clinched the 25-9 Marion decision.
Marion got contributions from multiple players in the third set, starting with another Miller-to-Shinabery connection that gave the Pats the lead for good at 4-3. Miller followed by teaming with Coad for a two-point advantage before Austin and Miller served aces for consecutive Marion points, and a 9-3 lead.
Beebe ripped off five straight points to trim the Marion lead to 9-8, but the Pats responded with a Williams block, a pair of Bullins kills, and four points from Rucker to push the lead to 17-13.
Miller set Rucker and Williams for back-to-back points as Marion claimed a 19-14 lead. An Austin ace pushed Marion ahead 22– 14, and Miller assisted on kills from Coad and Shinabery to put Marion out 25-15.
Marion remains home Thursday night for Collierville, Tennessee at 3M Transit Arena for a junior varsity/varsity doubleheader. The 5 p.m. tilt will be broadcast live on MarionPatriots.com and on the Marion Patriots Activities mobile app.
