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Marion Local's Kate Ashman (10) goes up for a spike as Parkway's Colbie Smith (8) and Naomi Knapke (11) defend during Thursday's MAC volleyball match at the Hangar in Maria Stein.
MARIA STEIN - Once Marion Local got rolling, not much slowed the Flyers down.
Marion fought off Parkway in the first set, cruised in the second and gave the Panthers a battle in the third set before pulling away in the fourth set to hand Parkway its first loss of the season 27-25, 25-14, 23-25, 25-13 in Midwest Athletic Conference volleyball action at the Hangar on Thursday.
"We didn't return a lot of varsity (veterans). We were growing early on," said Flyers coach Katherine Dirksen as the Flyers improve to 7-3 and 2-1 in the MAC. "Tonight was a message for our girls that we're here to play."
The first set featured nine ties and four lead changes. Parkway led by as many as six points early before the Flyers made a charge. Marion was the first to reach 24 after a Panther hitting error made it 24-22, but a Naomi Knapke kill made it 24-23 and gave Parkway the serve back. The Flyers were then called for a double-hit to tie the set with a kill by Cami Langenkamp giving Parkway set point at 25-24. Grace Moeller kept the Flyers alive with a kill to send the set into extra points. Kate Ashman's kill gave Marion set point, with a violation on Parkway clinching the opening set.
Marion Local's Mya Eckstein (left) and Faith Ronnebaum (12) team up to block the spike of Parkway's Naomi Knapke.
The key to the Flyers' success early on was blocking at the net. Marion had 13 termination blocks in the match and defended the Panther hitters well.
"We were working on that," said Dirksen. "That helps (to force Parkway) change up their shots. Whole team effort."
"Their block touched a lot," said Parkway coach Jordan Henkle. "We were trying to find some other avenues or holes. It wasn't working tonight. Their serve got us out of system."
The momentum carried into the second set for the Flyers. Six straight service points by Mya Eckstein put Marion in front 7-2. Parkway came back to tie the set at 8- and 9-all before Ashman served up six more points to make it 16-9. Six points was all the closer the Panthers could get as Marion made it a 2-0 match.
Parkway showed why they were ranked second in the Division VI coaches poll this week as KJae Stover served up five straight points to put the Panthers in front 6-0 in the third set and later Parkway went up 10-3 on an Emmery Temple ace. Marion though, fought back, working its way back to tie the set at 15-all on an Eckstein ace. The teams tied at 16- and later 20-all, but Colbie Smith got a kill to make it 23-21. A net violation on the Flyers gave Parkway set point at 24-22. Ashman prolonged the set with a kill to get to within one, but Brittyn Bruns' kill closed out the set to keep the Panthers in the match.
Parkway's Brittyn Bruns sets the ball to a teammate during Thursday's match at Marion Local.
"We had leads in the first and third sets," said Henkle. "(Marion) did a good job of staying in it."
The teams tied at every point from 1- to 5-all in the fourth set. The Flyers took the lead for good at 8-7, then slowly built the lead without any extended service runs. Sophia Salazar's ace made it 14-9 Flyers, then Grace Moeller had the longest service run of the set, tacking on four more points to make it 20-11 as Henkle used his second and final timeout of the set. Emersyn Mescher served up four straight points to close out the match.
"Parkway played tough. There was some long sets," said Dirksen. "Having a little momentum going into the fourth set was huge."
"Things weren't clicking for us," said Henkle.
Grace Moeller had 12 kills and four blocks to lead the Flyers. Eckstein had 11 kills and three aces and Ashman added 10 kills.
Bruns led Parkway with 12 kills. Knapke added 11 kills with Langenkamp adding 10 kills. KJae Stover had 19 assists with Temple recording 18 digs.
Marion is off until Tuesday when St. John's comes to the Hangar for a MAC contest. Parkway (10-1, 2-1 MAC) travels to Lincolnview on Monday before hosting lone MAC unbeaten New Bremen on Tuesday.
