Article and photos by T Ray Henry
On Thursday, October 1st, the Marshall High School volleyball team hosted the Paris High School Lady Tigers on Pink Out Night inside McNary Gymnasium in front of a packed house which included the Marshall High School Pep Band and Drum Line. Marshall came in with a record of 16-6, while Paris came in with a record of 17-6. Both schools are assigned to the same sub-sectional in the IHSA Class 2A state tournament, so the teams could very well meet again in three weeks with bigger stakes hanging in the balance either in Pana or Decatur. Before this match, the IHSA computer seed ratings had Paris ranked second in the ten-team field, while Marshall was seeded fifth.
It’s a good thing Horizon Health, tonight’s Pink Out sponsor in honor of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, had representatives on hand providing free blood pressure checks in the foyer, because this three-setter between the Lions and the Lady Tigers was a heart stopping, blood boiling thriller. In the end, Marshall came out victorious by the scores of 25-20, 24-26, and 26-24. Coming to the finish in the third and deciding set, the Lions were staring at two Paris match points with Paris leading 24-22 and serving. A Lady Tigers kill out of bounds brought the Lions within one point at 24-23 before Marshall’s Lauren English stepped up to the serving line. On her first serve, Marshall got a huge tip winner from McKenzie Davis on the left side to tie the set at 24. Ellie Delp then smashed a kill to give the Lions a one-point lead at 25-24, and finally, Harper Richardson sealed the win with a kill to give Marshall a 26-24 victory in the third set to win the match two sets to one. With the win secured, Marshall’s student section erupted as the band played the school fight song.
To explain how close this match was, there were 18 ties, 9 lead changes, and Marshall outscored Paris in total points 75-70 for the three sets. Experiencing such a close match in a state tournament environment can only help both teams moving forward.
In the opening set, Marshall got out to a 6-2 lead on a kill by Harper Richardson, an ace served by Lauren English, a winning strike by Ellie Delp, an ace served by McKenzie Davis, and a block by Harper Richardson and Libby Huisinga.
Paris came back to tie the set at 6 and 7 before a kill by Marshall’s Lilly Ross followed by a block for a point from Ross and Libby Huisinga gave the Lions a 9-7 lead. McKenzie Davis scored on a tip for Marshall to maintain their two-point lead at 11-9. Paris scored two straight to tie it up at 11, and after the teams tied again at 12, the Lady Tigers scored consecutive points to lead 14-12.
Harper Richardson scored on a kill to get the Lions within one, then after Paris went back up by two, Richardson and Libby Huisinga combined on a block to get Marshall back within one with the score 15-14 in Paris’ favor. After the Lions tied it again at 15, Lilly Ross scored a kill and Harper Richardson scored on a tip to give Marshall a 17-15 lead. Another Ross kill got the Lions to 18 before Paris came back and leveled the set before Marshall’s Lauren English scored a winner to make the score 19-18 Marshall. English’s score started a six-point run for the Lions which was highlighted by a kill by McKenzie Davis, followed by an ace served by Ali Sheets to make the score 24-18. After the Lady Tigers scored twice to make it 24-20, Marshall’s McKenzie Davis smashed a big kill for Marshall to take the opening set by the score of 25-20.
In the second set, Paris led wire to wire in winning the set 26-24 to send the match to a third and deciding set. The Lions fell behind early by four points 6-2 before scoring four straight to tie the set at 6. Harper Richardson had two kills, Ali Sheets served consecutive aces, and McKenzie Davis and Lilly Ross combined on a block for a point to pace the Lions in the early going.
Once again, Marshall fell behind, this time by six points as Paris got out to a 13-7 lead. The Lions responded by outscoring the Lady Tigers 10-4 to tie the set at 17. During the run, Lilly Ross scored two kills and combined with McKenzie Davis on a block, while Harper Richardson scored a kill and a tip winner to lead the Lions back.
Paris scored the next five straight points to lead 22-17 before Harper Richardson scored a kill and three straight tip winners to get the Lions back within one point at 22-21. Paris scored two more points to make it 24-21 and get to set point before Marshall charged back with three straight points of their own to tie the set at 24 as the crowd went wild. Scoring for Marshall were Lilly Ross with a winner, Ellie Delp with a kill, and McKenzie Davis with a serving ace. Paris, however, scored the next two points, the final one coming on a serving ace by Pailynne Camp, to win the second set 26-24.
In the third and deciding set, a tip winner by Harper Richardson preceded aces served by Lauren English and McKenzie Davis to give Marshall a 4-2 lead. After the teams tied at 4 and 5, Marshall outscored Paris 9-2 to take a 14-7 lead. The Lions got kills from Lilly Ross and Ellie Delp as well as tip winners from Lilly Ross (2) and Harper Richardson to go along with a block by Lilly Ross and Libby Huisinga.
A tip winner by McKenzie Davis and a kill by Harper Richardson kept the homestanding Lions ahead by 7, but another Harper Richardson kill was all Marshall could get as Paris trimmed the Lions lead to two points with the score 18-16.
A long rally on the next point ensued, with the ball going back and forth multiple times. Both teams made tremendous saves and went for the jugular with bombs from both sides of the net. When the dust finally settled, Marshall’s Ellie Delp crushed a kill on the left side of the floor to give Marshall a 19-16 lead. Paris came right back within one before Harper Richardson’s tip winner pushed the Marshall cushion back up to two with the score 20-18. Once again, Paris trimmed the Marshall lead to one (20-19) before the Lions rang off two straight points, highlighted by a huge block at the net for a point by Lauren English and McKenzie Davis to lead 22-19 as Paris called for a time out.
Coming out of the time out, Paris ripped off five straight points to take a 24-22 lead. Looking down the barrel of match point, Marshall dug deep and got the Lady Tigers to hit over the Lions block and out of bounds to make the score 24-23. Facing another match point, Marshall’s Lauren English served in play, and after a couple volleys back and forth, Marshall’s McKenzie Davis dropped a tip winner to tie the set at 24 apiece as the Marshall side roared. On the next point, Ellie Delp came through with a big kill to give Marshall a 25-24 lead and get the Lions to match point. After the Lions put up a blockade at the net, the Lady Tigers attempted one last kill, but Marshall’s Ali Sheets got the dig crosscourt and passed the ball to Lilly Ross, who set up Harper Richardson on the right side. Richardson wound up and smacked a kill over the net and onto the Paris side of the court, giving Marshall a 26-24 thrilling victory in the third set to win the match over Paris two sets to one. With the win, Marshall’s record improves to 17-6 on the season, while Paris falls to 17-7. Also, the computer ratings moved Marshall from fifth to second in the sub-sectional and dropped Paris to fourth in the same sub-sectional.
Statistical Highlights for the Lions
Aces - English 4, Davis 3, Richardson 2, Ross 1, Sheets 1
Assists - Ross 16, Richardson 8, Sheets 2, English 1
Blocks - Davis 5, Richardson 3, Ross 2
Digs - Sheets 15, Ross 12, English 9, Richardson 9
Kills - Richardson 16, Ross 8, Delp 4, Davis 3, English 1, Huisinga 1
In the junior varsity match, Marshall lost the first set before storming back to take the second set 25-20. In the third set, though, the young Lions ran out of gas and fell to the Lady Tigers two sets to one. Libby Huisinga led the Lions JV squad in kills, while Lauren Richards led the team in aces. Also scoring for Marshall were Olivia Strohm, Aubree Shaffer, and Breck Bishop.
Marshall returns to action next Monday when the Lions travel to Westville High School to take on the 19-4 Westville Lady Tigers in the finale of the three-match Lady Tiger Trifecta (Olney, Paris, Westville).
The JV match begins at 6:00 PM followed by the varsity match.
On Tuesday, Marshall hosts Red Hill inside McNary Gymnasium on Superhero Night for the Marshall students.
The JV match will begin at 6:00 PM, followed by the varsity contest.
The Marshall Milkmaids accept a donation from Marshall Volleyball head coach Karlee McCollum and senior co-captain Harper Richardson
Paris and Marshall volleyball teams each receive a donation from Horizon Health on Pink Out Night
Lilly Ross (2) crushes a kill against Paris
Harper Richardson (3) smashes a kill through the Paris block during Marshall's big win
Ellie Delp (10) scores an important kill in the 3rd set vs Paris
Marshall's Lauren English wins the battle at the net
Marshall volleyball celebrates their comeback win in the third set against Paris as the Paris students stand in disbelief
