MHS takes fourth at home tourney
Sports editor
It was an up and down week for the Marion High School volleyball team, as it won its first match in its new gymnasium, but went 2-5 in seven matches.
Marion had lost its first four matches in the new gym.
“We didn’t know if there was some kind of jinx,” MHS head coach Jim Versch said with a laugh.
The landmark victory came Saturday in the Marion tournament when the Warriors knocked off 4A Eureka, 25-23, 25-20.
“That was a pretty good match,” Versch said. “We were ready to play, and it just seemed like everybody was just on.”
As a team the Warriors hit .319, as junior Julia Zeiner led the team with 10 kills.
Kayley Heerey had six kills, while Lindsay Hett contributed two kills and 11 assists.
Setter Chassidy Carlson had six assists.
The sophomore Carlson had 22 sets during the tournament, and impressed Versch.
“She looked the best she had the past two years,” Versch said. “Her sets were right on.”
The Warriors (8-11) took care of MCAA foe Halstead 25-19, 28-26 in the second round of pool play, but failed to win a match the rest of the day.
Losses to number one seed Sedgwick in pool play, eventual champion Wichita Collegiate in the semis, and 4A DeSoto in the third-place match gave the Warriors a fourth-place finish.
The match against Sedgwick was tough for Marion, which lost 25-23, won 25-11, and then dropped game three 25-17.
They moved right on to play the MCAA’s number-one team Collegiate, and fell in another close game, 25-23.
Versch said he could feel the momentum being sucked away from his team.
“We were playing really well,” he said of game one. “We were getting them frustrated. But when we lost, it really to the air out of our sales.”
MHS lost the second game 25-10, and moved on to play for third place.
After splitting the first two games against DeSoto, Marion found itself tied at 18, only to lose the final seven points.
“We just ran out of physical strength,” Versch said.
This week is a welcome one for the varsity. After three straight Saturday tournaments, with two Tuesday quads sandwiched in between, the Warriors have this weekend off.
A Tuesday triangular against Wichita Collegiate and Hesston was not completed before press time.
The Warriors will not hit the court again until Tuesday, when they play host to a triangular in their final home matches of the season.
Marion triangular
Before hosting the eight-team tournament, the Warriors played Smoky Valley and Ellinwood Sept. 16 on their home court.
MHS took both teams to the limit, but fell in three games to the Vikings and Eagles.
“It was frustrating,” Versch said, “but we had great crowd support, and they kept us in the games.”
With a raucous student section that held up signs whenever a Warrior recorded a kill or ace in the first match against Smoky Valley, the Warriors held off the Vikings 25-23.
Smoky Valley came out with two victories the next two games, and dropped the Warriors record at the time to 6-7.
Zeiner was on fire, recording 12 kills and a .632 attack percentage, to go along with five digs and three solo blocks.
Carlson had 12 sets and Hett contributed 11.
Ellinwood turned the tables on Marion in the nightcap, defeating Marion by a score of 25-23.
The Warriors, though tired, came back for a 25-20 victory in game two, before finally falling in game three.
Versch was glad to see his team was battling, but wanted badly to pick up the two victories.
“We start well early, but we can’t finish,” he said.
Despite the tough week, Marion has equaled its win total of a year ago with an 8-11 record.