The Warriors are off to a rocky start after going winless this past week. Marion’s volleyball team dropped two matches with Hoisington and Smoky Valley Aug. 30 in the Lindsborg Triangular, before being swept by Hillsboro, Southeast of Saline and Moundridge last Thursday at the Moundridge QUad.
“Overall I was a bit disappointed in the lack of stepping up for the challenge, said head coach Jim Versch about the Lindsborg Triangular. “We have many areas to improve in.” Versch declined to comment on Thursday’s matches.
Moundridge – The Warriors held on at first, but gradually the Wildcats slipped away from them in the first and second sets, giving Marion an 0-2 record against Moundridge Thursday night.
Southeast of Saline – The Warriors did a little better against SES. For a while it seemed Marion would pick up their first win against SES, but the Trojans pulled it out, winning the first set 25-20. SES won the second set as well, going 2-0 against the Warriors.
Hillsboro – The Trojans out-matched the Warriors at the net, defeating Marion in short time in the first set, 25-10. The Warriors hung on a bit better in the second set, staging a late surge, but the Trojans went on to win the second set, 25-19, to go 2-0 against Marion.
Smoky Valley – Unsurprisingly, senior Whitney Gordon provided a bright spot for the Warriors, posting seven kills in their 0-2 loss to Smoky Valley. The Warriors almost pulled it out in the first set, losing 21-25. They lost the second, 25-20.
“We were ahead at times in both games but couldn’t finish,” Versch said about their losses to Smoky Valley. “We made some poor decisions as far as not getting the ball to the strong hitters. In both matches our serve receive was far below good, which didn’t allow us to be very aggressive on offense.”
Hoisington – The Warriors dropped its first two sets to Hoisington, losing 17-25 in the first and 16-25 in the second set to go 0-2. Gordon again recorded seven kills for Marion, with her teammates contributing eight kills.
“Our youth and lack of experience showed,” Versch said. “I was very happy with the setting of Katey Ehrlich and the hitting of Whitney Gordon. I don’t think we were very well-prepared for this game.”
Coming Up – The Warriors will look for their first win on the road against Berean Academy Sept. 6.
