Marshall downs Casey-Westfield in straight sets on Senior Night

Article and photos by T Ray Henry

On Thursday, October 15th, families, friends, and students gathered inside a packed McNary Gymnasium to watch Marshall and Casey-Westfield battle it out on the volleyball court on Senior Night for Marshall seniors McKenzie Davis, Ellie Delp, Nya Engledow, Lauren English, Nicole Ponziani, and Harper Richardson. The Marshall student section came out in force and voice to support these senior student athletes playing their final home match of their careers at Marshall High.

Both Marshall and Casey-Westfield came into the contest with 18 wins on the season (Marshall 18-8, Casey-Westfield 18-13). Both squads were also seeded third in their respective sub-sectional brackets for the upcoming state tournament (Marshall in Class 2A, Casey-Westfield in Class 1A), and they were separated by one loss in the conference standings (Marshall 4-1, Casey-Westfield 3-2). Fans in attendance expected a spirited match between two good volleyball squads preparing for the postseason, but more importantly, they were playing for county bragging rights. It is true that if Marshall or Casey-Westfield wins one game or match in a season, in any sport, and that one win comes at the hands of the school on the opposite linear side of Clark County, that season was a complete success.

What many may not know coming into this match is the fact that Marshall has been riding a nine-year conference match winning streak against Casey-Westfield dating back to 2017. Since the Warriors defeated the Lions in 2016, Marshall has won every conference tilt versus Casey-Westfield since (the Warriors did win a couple times during that span in early-season tournaments, but not once in a conference match). Thursday’s match was not only Senior Night for the Lions; Marshall was determined to extend their winning streak over the Warriors to 10 years. And did they ever: Marshall used a barrage of strikes from all over the floor to defeat Casey-Westfield in straight sets 25-22 and 25-18. In the junior varsity match preceding the varsity contest, Marshall’s JV squad took care of business by defeating the Warriors JV squad 27-25 and 25-13 to complete the sweep and give the six seniors a core memory forever.

Harper Richardson led Marshall with 12 kills, while Lilly Ross led the team with 15 assists.

In the opening set of the varsity match, Lilly Ross opened the match by serving an ace, then two kills and a tip winner by Harper Richardson put the warriors on their heels. A block by Lilly Ross and a combo block by Ross and Libby Huisinga, followed by an ace served by Harper Richardson, gave Marshall an early 8-4 lead.

The Lions stayed comfortably ahead through the middle of the set with a kill by Libby Huisinga, an ace served by Ellie Delp, a kill by Lilly Ross, and an ace served by Ali Sheets to make the score 12-7 in Marshall’s favor.

A kill by Lilly Ross and four kills by Harper Richardson extended the Lions’ lead to six points with the score 17-11. Another kill from Lilly Ross counted for one of the two points Marshall scored as Casey-Westfield outscored Marshall 7-2 to make the score 20-18. From that point on, the Warriors hit three consecutive kills long as Marshall won the opening set by the score of 25-22.

In the beginning of the second set, Casey-Westfield jumped out to an 8-4 lead as Marshall got scores from McKenzie Davis and Harper Richardson on a block, and a tip and kill by Harper Richardson. After a Lions time out, Marshall clawed their way back to make the score 10-9 Casey-Westfield after Lilly Ross and Harper Richardson scored back-to-back kills.

The Warriors went ahead 13-9 before Marshall’s Harper Richardson and Ellie Delp scored back-to-back kills to get within two points at 13-11. Ellie Delp then took over with a kill and a tip winner to tie it up at 15 as the Marshall crowd roared. Libby Huisinga then smashed a kill from the right side, and Marshall led 16-15 as the decibel level inside the gym neared jetway territory.

A back and forth in points gave Marshall a 19-17 lead before Lilly Ross scored a tip and Ali Sheets served a huge ace to give the home side a 21-17 lead as the Lions student section was telling Casey-Westfield’s bus driver to get outside and fire up the Warriors’ bus.

The visitors scored the next point to make it 21-18 before Marshall dominated with a tip winner from Lilly Ross, a serving ace by Ross, a kill by Harper Richardson, and a big combination block by Harper Richardson and McKenzie Davis on match point to put the Lions over the top by the score of 25-18, winning the match in straight sets over Casey-Westfield as the Marshall students celebrated on the floor with the players.

Statistical Leaders:

Aces: Ross 2, English 1, Richardson 1, Sheets 1

Assists: Ross 15, Richardson 6

Blocks: Huisinga 2, Ross 2, Davis 1, Richardson 1

Digs: Richardson 10, English 5, Davis 4

Kills: Richardson 12, Ross 6, Delp 3

In the junior varsity match, the opening set was worth the price of admission by itself with a remarkable 15 ties and 9 lead changes in a set that went to overtime before Marshall came away with a 27-25 win. The largest lead by either team during the set was three points. Down the stretch in the opener, Casey-Westfield had two set points, but Marshall came back both times to tie the set before overtaking the Warriors with two straight points down the stretch, the biggest point being an ace served by Breck Bishop to put the Lions over the top 27-25.

Scoring for Marshall during the first set were Olivia Strohm (kill), Aubree Shaffer (2 kills and a block), Lauren Richards (winner), Breck Bishop (kill, 2 blocks, tip winner, ace), Allie Thompson (tip winner, kill), and Aubrie Ockerman (tip winner).

In the second set of the junior varsity match, Marshall dominated play to lead 23-7 before putting the engine on cruise control and winning 25-13 to take the match in straight sets. Olivia Strohm, who got the Lions going in the first set with a kill, started the second set in the same manner. Strohm had three kills in the second set. Also scoring were Aubrie Ockerman (ace, kill), Breck Bishop (3 kills, ace, winner), Aubree Shaffer (ace, kill on match point), Allie Thompson (tip winner), and Lauren Richards (ace).

Marshall (19-8 on the season) returns to action next Monday when the Lions travel to Tuscola for a non-conference doubleheader. The junior varsity match is scheduled to begin at 6:00 PM, with the varsity contest to follow.

Senior Night Photos & Game Photos

Ellie Delp & Family

Ellie Delp