Article and photos by T Ray Henry
On Thursday, September 24th, the Marshall High School volleyball team hosted conference foe Robinson in an LIC battle inside McNary Gymnasium on the campus of Marshall High School. This highly anticipated match would conclude a three-match stretch during Homecoming Week for the Lions. On Monday of this week, Marshall traveled to St. Joseph-Ogden and came home with a hard-fought win over the Spartans in straight sets. On Tuesday, they hosted Hutsonville-Palestine and came away with a straight-set win over the Lady Tigers. This match versus the Lady Maroons presented bigger implications with it being a conference match. Marshall came in with a record of 14-6, while Robinson came in with a record of 10-5.
Three weeks ago, these two same teams met in the championship round of the Robinson Invitational Tournament played on the Lady Maroons’ home floor. Coming out of their respective pools, nicknamed cupcake pool and gauntlet pool, the teams played a spirited match to settle a champion, and Marshall came out of it with the championship trophy by defeating Robinson 25-19 and 25-22 to win the tournament.
The rematch would be a tougher battle played in front of a vocal crowd which included the Marshall student section dressed as Felonious Gru and his many Minions from the Despicable Me franchise. Robinson, meanwhile, was represented by three students adorned in pajamas and a fan base entitlement which belies the record of athletic endeavors between these two schools.
Bolstered and encouraged by their fellow students, the Lions dominated both sets by racing out to big leads (19-10 in the first set, 17-6 in the second set) as they coasted to victory by beating Robinson in straight sets 25-21 and 25-20. The Lady Maroons had no answer for Marshall’s Harper Richardson and Lilly Ross. Richardson finished the match with 10 kills, 7 aces, 10 digs, and 8 assists. Ross had 7 kills, 6 digs, 2 blocks for points, and 14 assists. In all, Marshall as a team served a stellar 12 aces (Richardson 7, Lauren English 2, Ali Sheets 2, and Ellie Delp 1). On defense, Ali Sheets (18) and Lauren English (8) led the team in serve returns.
A barrage to begin the match overwhelmed the visitors from Robinson as Marshall opened the match on an 11-4 run before the Lady Maroons knew what hit them as their coach called time out. A kill by Harper Richardson, an ace served by Lauren English, a winning hit by Ellie Delp, a combination block by McKenzie Davis and Richardson, back-to back kills by Richardson and Lilly Ross, followed by three straight aces served by Richardson, and a kill by Libby Huisinga had the Robinson side reeling.
Coming out of the time out, Robinson came back and got within two points (12-10) before the Lions put the foot on the gas again and once again besieged the Lady Maroons with a 7-0 run to take a commanding 19-10 lead. Two tip winners by Lilly Ross and a serving ace by Ali Sheets highlighted the run for Marshall. From then on, the Lions stayed comfortably ahead, winning the opening set 25-21. Scoring down the stretch for Marshall were Lilly Ross with a tip winner, Ellie Delp with a kill, and Harper Richardson with two tip winners and a kill. After the Lions won the opening set, the Minions gathered as one and sprinted down the home sideline and out of the gym, back down the hallway, and back into the gym near the student section to the delight of the Marshall fans and derision from the Robinson fans.
The second set was a mirror image of the opening set as Marshall jumped out to a big 12-4 lead on back-to-back tip winners from Lilly Ross and Harper Richardson, a Richardson kill, an ace served by Lauren English, kills by McKenzie Davis and Richardson, two aces served by Richardson, a winner and a kill by Ross, and a kill by Libby Huisinga. During one stretch, Harper Richardson served six consecutive times as Marshall built their 8-point lead.
Marshall increased their lead to 17-6 off the heels of two aces served by Ellie Delp, a kill by Libby Huisinga, and a block for a point by Lilly Ross. The Lions then put the arsenal on cruise control and coasted to the finish, taking the second set by the score of 25-20 to win the match in straight sets over Robinson.
Statistical Leaders
Aces: Richardson 7, Sheets 2, English 2, Delp 1, Davis 1
Assists: Ross 14, Richardson 8
Blocks: Ross 2, Richardson 1, English 1, Delp 1, Davis 1
Digs: Richardson 10, Ross 6, Sheets 5, English 5
Kills: Richardson 10, Ross 7, Davis 3, Huisinga 3
In the junior varsity match, the Lions had to adjust the lineup and never got into a groove in a straight set loss. The young Lions played better in the second set as they sprinted out to a 7-2 lead before Robinson eventually won the set. Libby Huisnga, Aubree Shaffer, Breck Bishop, Aubrie Ockerman, Lexi Mason, Lauren Richards, Charlee Francis, and Olivia Strohm all scored for the Lions. Lexi Mason saw her first action of the season as a setter, and Charlee Francis saw her first action of the season as a Libero. The versatility will help the young Lions moving forward.
On Monday, September 28th, Marshall’s Freshman and JV teams will host Mattoon St. John’s for a Freshman and JV non-conference doubleheader. The Freshman match will begin at 6:00 PM, with the junior varsity contest to follow. You are invited to McNary Gymnasium to see the future of Marshall volleyball and cheer our student athletes on.
Marshall’s varsity team (15-6) plays its next match Tuesday, September 29th when the Lions travel to Olney to play Richland County High School in an LIC doubleheader. Junior Varsity action is scheduled to begin at 6:00 PM with the varsity contest to follow.
Harper Richardson had a match to remember with 10 kills, 7 aces, 10 digs, and 8 assists against Robinson
Lilly Ross smashes one of her many kills against Robinson
Libby Huisinga (11) scores a kill for Marshall versus Robinson
Nya Engledow saves the ball in front of the Lions student section
Ellie Delp serves the ball as Gru and his Minions look on
