Article and photos by T Ray Henry
On Monday, September 7th, the Marshall High School volleyball team traveled to Toledo to take on the Cumberland High School Lady Pirates in a non-conference doubleheader. Marshall, in their first match since winning the Robinson Invitational Tournament two days before, came in with a record of 5-2, while Cumberland came in with a soccer-like record of 3-4-2.
Marshall came into the match on a high note, so the biggest question to be answered was how the team would respond to playing an opponent coming in off a win, two losses, and two ties in their previous five matches (in a recent tournament, Cumberland played two matches that were tied 1-1 when the time limit expired, hence the two ties). Cumberland volleyball has been seeking to return to the glory years of 2008-2010 when the Lady Pirates went to three straight Final Fours in Class 1A.
In a workmanlike fashion, Marshall came into Don Waldrip Gymnasium and defeated Cumberland in straight sets 25-21 and 25-18.
In the opening set, Cumberland held an early 3-0 lead before Marshall’s Lilly Ross smashed a kill to get the Lions on the board. Harper Richardson followed with a winning strike, then McKenzie Davis served an ace to tie it up at 3. Cumberland took a 4-3 lead, which turned out to be their last lead of the set. Marshall’s Harper Richardson scored consecutive points with a winner and a tip, and Marshall now led 5-4.
Marshall eventually began to pull ahead little by little until they had what they felt was a comfortable lead at 14-8. The Lions got two kills by Harper Richardson and one kill by Lilly Ross during the run. During the final stretch of Set #1, Cumberland got as close at two points, but Marshall kept working on their game, and McKenzie Davis served an ace to close out the first set with Marshall winning by the score of 25-21. Scoring for Marshall during the latter phase of the first set were Harper Richardson, Lilly Ross, and Lily Shotts with kills.
In the second set, Cumberland scored the first point before Marshall outscored the Lady Pirates 14-4 which for all intents and purposes took the fight out of the home side as the Cumberland student section and fan base fell silent in the bleachers. From that point on, Marshall cruised to the finish, winning the second set 25-18 to win the match in straight sets.
Down the stretch in the second set, Harper Richardson, Ali Sheets, and Lilly Ross each scored aces, while Lauren English, Lilly Ross, and Harper Richardson each scored on kills.
In the process of winning the match, the Lions gave future opponents something to worry about when defending these Lions. For example, Lilly Ross curling around the setter over to the flank for an outside strike, and Lauren English showing ambidextrous skills by being able to strike the ball with both her left and right hands at the net, should cause opposing coaches sleepless nights. This team’s ability to cover all four corners of the gym is also noteworthy. On one defensive play in this match, McKenzie Davis chased down a ball to the back wall, hit a fastball backwards straight at Harper Richardson, and Richardson flicked the rocket over the net that landed in an empty corner of Cumberland’s court. The flexibility of options and interchangeability of athletes is what makes this group dangerous.
Statistical Highlights...
Kills: Richardson 12, Ross 6, English 2
Assists: Richardson 8, Ross 8
Aces: Davis 2, Richardson 1, Ross 1, Sheets 1
Blocks: English 1
Digs: Sheets 9, English 5, Ross 5
In the junior varsity match, the young Lions once again fell behind in their opening set by 10 points with the score 15-5 before keeping pace the rest of the set as they lost 25-13. In the second set, the JV squad found themselves in a battle to overtime before falling 27-25. When the team starts out slow and falls behind, they have trouble digging out of the hole, but when they start out strong, they’re in it all the way and have chances to win in the end. Scoring for the JV squad against Cumberland were Aubree Shaffer, Libby Huisinga, Lexi Mason, Breck Bishop, Lauren Richards, and Allie Thompson. Olivia Strohm, Aubrie Ockerman, and AJ Wernz each played solid defense for the Lions, with Strohm and Ockerman patrolling at the net and Wernz returning serves and scoring a dig from the back row.
The Lions (6-2) return to action Tuesday, September 8th when they travel to Oblong to take on another former Little Illini Conference foe in the Oblong Lady Panthers. The matches are scheduled to be played at Oblong Elementary School due to increased temperatures. Junior varsity action is scheduled for 6:00 PM, with the varsity match to follow.
The MHS volleyball team enjoyed a pregame meal and team bonding experience prior to traveling to Cumberland
Ali Sheets returns a Cumberland serve during Lions' win over the Lady Pirates
Lily Shotts (center) rises up to strike a kill versus Cumberland during Marshall's straight set win
Lilly Ross (2) strikes after a Harper Richardson (3) set