Article and Photo by T. Ray Henry
On Tuesday, October 21st, the Marshall High School junior varsity volleyball team hosted the JV squad from St. John’s Lutheran School from Mattoon. With St. John’s currently in their second year of offering high school classes, the Eagles have played a junior varsity schedule this year in anticipation of fielding a varsity program in 2026.
As has happened seemingly in over 70% of their matches this season, the young Lions were once again extended to three sets. On Monday night, the Lions needed three sets to take down Tuscola, so it is only fitting in the final week of junior varsity volleyball, they will go the distance again. It would surprise no one if the Lions and Lawrenceville go the distance this Thursday as well to close out the JV season.
In typical fashion, the Lions came out strong in the opening set, rolling to a 25-13 win to take the first set. In the second set, the Lions led through the midway point of the set before St. John’s pulled ahead and stayed there in winning the second set 25-22. In the third and deciding set, the outcome was hanging in the balance with both teams all tied up at 11. A tip winner by Marshall’s McKenzie Davis broke the tie to put the Lions up by one 12-11, then Ellie Delp scored a kill to give the Big Red a two-point lead at 13-11. St. John’s got back within one with the score 13-12, but Marshall scored the next two points to win the third set 15-12, taking the match over St. John’s two sets to one.
Ellie Delp had a tip winner to go along with a kill, and Nya Engledow served an ace during a Marshall 7-1 run to start the opening set. The Lions steadily built their lead to 14-6 as Lilly Ross connected on two kills and a tip winner. Later in the set, two kills by Ellie Delp and two kills by Lilly Ross gave the Big Red a 22-13 lead heading to the final stretch. After St. John’s hit the ball into the net to give Marshall a 23-13 advantage, Ali Sheets served an ace before Ellie Delp ended the first set with another kill. The Lions took the first set by the score of 25-13.
The Lions kept the momentum going in the early stages of the second set, jumping quickly out to a 3-0 lead on the heels of kills by Olivia Strohm and Ellie Delp. Delp scored another kill and McKenzie Davis won with a tip at the net to give the Lions a 7-3 lead. Aubree Shaffer later scored a kill before Lilly Ross won with a tip at the net. Ellie Delp scored another kill, and Marshall was suddenly on cruise control while leading St. John’s 13-6.
In the middle of second set, St. John’s outscored Marshall 10-3 to tie the set at 16. The only individual scorers for the Lions during this stretch were Lilly Ross with a kill and Nya Engledow with a tip winner. Kills by Aubree Shaffer and Olivia Strohm highlighted the scoring for Marshall down the stretch, but St. John’s came away with the set by the score of 25-22 to send the match to a third and deciding set to 15 points.
Scores by Ellie Delp, Lilly Ross, and Aubree Shaffer helped Marshall keep pace early in the third set. With the score tied at 6, the Lions went ahead on back-to-back tip winners by Lilly Ross and Lauren Richards to give Marshall an 8-6 lead. St. John’s came right back and tied the set at 8, then again at 11. On the next critical point, Marshall’s McKenzie Davis won the point with a tip winner at the net, and on the next point, Ellie Delp smashed a kill to give the Lions a two-point lead at 13-11. The Lions then closed out the set to win 15-12, taking the match two sets to one.
Marshall returns to the court when they play their final match of the regular season this Thursday when the Lions host Lawrenceville in an LIC doubleheader. It will be Senior Night for four Marshall volleyball players (Avery Cornwell, Anna Daugherty, Ella Mattas, and Addy Ross) who will be making their final home volleyball appearance. The junior varsity match begins at 6:00 PM, then after Senior Night festivities, the varsity squad will battle the Indians on the court. It’s a Red Out for Marshall fans and students. Let’s get a sea of red inside McNary Gymnasium.
JV Volleyball in action against St. John's Lutheran