Marion volleyball sweeps 5A clash with West Memphis

Patriots invade Lehr Arena, top Blue Devils

By Chuck Livingston

Marion School District

WEST MEMPHIS — Less than 24 hours after taking a dramatic five-set victory over their 5A East rivals, the Marion volleyball team had to quickly turn its attention to another challenge to keep pace in a crowded conference chase.

Playing the improved West Memphis Blue Devils inside Lehr Arena has proven difficult in the past, but Marion was up to the task once again. It took the Pats a moment to ramp up, but once they did, the result was a three-set victory (25-19, 25-16, and 2516) that moved Marion to 11-2 overall, and most importantly, a flawless 6-0 mark in the 5A East.

But in the first set, West Memphis was eager to challenge the vaunted Marion attack. The Blue Devils scored the first five points of the initial set, the first two coming on aces from Chloe Fesperman and the last three coming on blocks by Laila and Tyra Taylor as the Blue Devils bolted to a 5-0 lead.

Marion fought back from there, getting a pair of Kendall Brown kills, one apiece from Kaitlyn Austin and Kennedy Bullins, and when West Memphis committed a hitting error, the Pats stormed back to tie the proceedings at 8.

The teams played even from there until Marion earned a little separation with two kills from Marlee Williams and one apiece from Brown and Austin, as Marion took a 2118 lead to force West Memphis to call for time.

Austin tallied a kill and served an ace after the stoppage, and when Maggie Miller set Alexa Shinabery for a kill, Marion completed its comeback for a 25-19 victory. Marion ran out to the fast start in the second stanza as Abbigale Simmons served an ace, leading to Miller's assists to Shinabery and Brown for a 30 Patriot edge.

Four West Memphis blocks from West Memphis and a pair of kills from Lyndsey Almeda got the Blue Devils even at 9, however.

Marion took off on the next run behind two kills apiece from Bullins and Williams, and a block and a kill by Brown for a 17-12 lead that forced a Blue Devil timeout.

Austin and Miller teamed up three times for kills, including the last point of a nine-point Patriot victory.

Brown had the hot hand early in the third set, recording a block and a kill as Marion claimed a 4-1 lead.

Claire Brinkley ran the offense effectively in the middle of the set, handing out assists to Austin, Bullins, Aynslee Coad, and Shinabery for a 126 lead.

Marion took its first ninepoint lead when Miller found Coad for a 19-10 lead, and the Pats closed out with kills from Austin, Bullins, and Miller.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Marion plays a non-conference contest Thursday afternoon at Collierville, TN. You can watch the game for free on MarionPatriots.com, on the MPAN YouTube channel, or on the MPAN mobile app.

5A EAST RESULTS FROM 9/17

Marion 3, West Memphis 0 Valley View 3, Mtn. Home 0 Batesville 3, Searcy 0 Paragould 3, Nettleton 1

5A EAST STANDINGS

Marion 6-0 Greene Co. Tech 4-1 Valley View 4-1 Mountain Home 3-2 Batesville 3-3 Paragould 2-4 Nettleton 1-4 Searcy 0-5 W. Memphis 0-5 The top 4 make state playoffs in Van Buren

5A EAST GAMES ON 9/19

Greene County at W. Memphis Valley View at Nettleton Batesville at Paragould Mountain Home at Searcy