Patriots top Searcy in volleyball
Marion downs Lions in straight sets back ‘home’ in 3M Transit Arena
By CHUCK LIVINGSTON
Marion School District
While Fidelity Bank Arena is a state-of-the-art facility fit to host just about any high school sports program, Marion volleyball coach Lisa Beasley longed to return to her program’s original home, Patriot Volleyball Gym at 3M Transit Arena during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She got her wish this season as the Patriots finally came home to the raucous hot box, much to the chagrin of opponents.
Searcy was the latest victim of the 3M Transit Arena mystique on Thursday night when Marion dispatched the Lions in three sets (25-14, 25-9, and 25-15). Marion finishes its 2022 season 4-3 back at 3M Transit Arena, winning its last two consecutively.
Marion improves to 17-9 overall and 10-3 in the 5A East. The Patriots have already clinched their spot in the Class 5A state tournament at Greenbrier, and Marion will play Batesville on Tuesday with a chance to earn the No. 2 playoff seed.
Marion freshman Kennedy Bullins recorded a teamhigh nine kills against Searcy, while she also logged seven digs, and served a pair of aces. Marion seniors Kiah Rucker and Madison Allison stacked five kills and four blocks apiece. Meredith Williams logged two digs, two kills, and two aces. Sophomore Alexa Shinabery topped Marion with 11 digs and four aces served, while she delivered three kills. Maggie Miller topped the Patriot assist chart with 23 assists, while Kaitlyn Austin stacked seven digs and served an ace.
Marion started fast against Searcy, scoring the game’s first three points when Williams served an ace and Bullins delivered a kill. Kills from Rucker, Allison, and an ace from Miller pushed Marion in front 8-3, forcing a Searcy timeout.
Miller went to work dishing to Williams, Bullins, and Shinabery for kills that pushed the Patriot lead to 12-6. A Williams ace, two Allison blocks, and a hitting error gave Marion a double- digit lead at 20-10, and when Shinabery and Bullins logged kills down the stretch, the Pats clinched an 11-point opening-set victory.
Marion was fast out of the gates in the second stanza, scoring the first 12 points and forcing Searcy to burn both its timeouts during that stretch. The fun started when Bullins served an ace, followed by a Rucker block. Allison blocked a pair of Searcy shots in four points as Marion surged ahead 9-0 to force a second Searcy timeout.
The run reached 15-1 following a Rucker kill before Shinabery served an ace, Williams logged a kill, Bullins stacked a pair of kills, and Allison delivered a kill to give Marion a dominating 25-9 victory in the second set.
Marion took the lead for good early in the third set when Rucker blocked a Searcy kill attempt, while freshman Aynslee Coad delivered a kill later on. An Allison kill followed by an Allison ace gave Marion an 8-7 lead.
A Bullins kill and a Shinabery ace gave Marion a 1511 lead that forced a Lion timeout.
The stoppage couldn’t slow Shinabery, who delivered three straight aces for a 19-11 advantage.
Bullins took over down the stretch, turning three Miller passes into kills before Miller set for Allison and Rucker to clinch victory.
What’s next?
Marion travels to Batesville for the conference finale on Tuesday night before traveling to Jonesboro for a non-conference game Thursday, October 20. Both of those contests will be broadcast live on MarionPatriots. com and on the Marion Patriots Activities Network mobile app.
5A EAST STANDINGS
SCHOOL………………………….CONF. RECORD
Valley View……………………………………. 13-0 Marion………………………………………….. 10-3 Batesville………………………………………… 9-4 Greene County Tech………………………….. 8-5 Paragould……………………………………….. 6-7 Nettleton……………………………………….. 3-10 West Memphis……………………………….. 3-10 Searcy………………………………………….. 0-13
The Marion volleyball team is all smiles after returning to Patriot Volleyball Gym at 3M Transit Arena in time for the 2022 season.
Photo by Londa Hamrick
