JONESBORO --- Marion and Valley View had split their first six conference matches against one another since the Blazers joined the 5A East in time for the 2022 season, making Thursday evening's tilt the unofficial rubber match until October.
Marion left Blazer Arena with a slight edge in the season series and the league standings until then.
The Patriots (10-2 overall, 5-0 5A East) scored tight victories in the first two sets and the fourth frame to knock off Valley View in four sets (25-22, 25-22, 17-25, 25-21).
“We knew going in that it was going to be a dog fight, and I am very proud of the grit that my team showed throughout the night,” said Marion coach Lisa Beasley. “It was high-quality volleyball being played by some of the best players in the state.”
In a back-and-forth first set, featuring the teams splitting the first 20 points, Valley View embarked on the first true run of the evening, opening up a 14-11 lead on kills from Bella Butler and Audrey Butler, and a block by Bonnie Fagan as Marion called for time.
The Blazers pushed their lead to 17-13 with a Fagan ace, but Marion hit the comeback trail from there, getting kills from Kendall Brown, Kennedy Bullins, and Kaitlyn Austin, the latter getting the Pats within 18-17 as Valley View called for time.
The stoppage did not affect Marion as Bullins tied the set at 18 with a kill, followed by a Reese Goodwin ace, and a net violation pushed the Pats ahead 21-19.
Kills down the stretch from Marlee Williams, Bullins, and Austin staked Marion to a 24-22 lead, and a Brown kill completed the Marion rally for a 25-22 conquest in the initial frame.
The teams again were knotted early in the second stanza, splitting the first 12 points, and again the Blazers took off on the first rally of the frame, scoring five straight points for an 11-6 lead, which forced a Patriot timeout.
Valley View got two kills and a block in that span from Kate Calhoon.
Marion started whittling away from there, getting two kills apiece from Brown, Bullins, and Austin, and when Bullins served an ace, Marion had again come all the way back to tie the second set at 16 each way, forcing a Blazer timeout.
A Brown kill followed the timeout and gave the Pats the lead, and Marion ripped off three points in a row, capped off by an Aynslee Coad block and an Austin kill, for a 22-18 advantage.
Valley View got within 23-21 on a Butler kill, but Bullins and Austin responded with kills of their own to give the Pats a second straight 25-22 victory.
The Blazers were undeterred, however, quickly erasing an early 3-0 Marion advantage in the third set, taking control when Meredith Supine tallied two kills and a block, the latter giving the hosts a 6-5 lead, forcing a Marion timeout.
Kills from Butler, Calhoon, and Supine highlighted a 5-0 Blazer run later on, and the Valley View lead crested at eight points twice in the third set, including the final point as the Blazers clinched a 25-17 victory to extend the match.
Valley View took advantage of a pair of Marion hitting errors to take a 3-0 lead in set No. 4, but Bullins came up with Marion's first four points of that frame to get the visitors within 5-4, and Brown tied it with a kill of her own.
The teams alternated points from there, but the Blazers came up with the next run, scoring five in a row, highlighted by two kills apiece from Calhoon and Butler, and Valley View led 14-11.
That's when Austin and Bullins slammed home two kills apiece, while Brown ripped one down the line, and Marion worked within 17-16 as the Blazers called a timeout.
But Brown registered a kill to tie the set, followed by an Austin ace that gave Marion an 18-17 edge.
Valley View twice tied it from there, but Marion took the lead for good on a hitting error, Brown threw down three kills, Annabelle White served an ace, and Austin and Bullins slammed the door with kills as Marion closed out a four-point victory in the decisive fourth set.
Valley View visits Marion, site of this year's Class 5A state volleyball tournament, on October 9.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Marion continues 5A East play on Tuesday afternoon when the Patriots host Crittenden County rival West Memphis inside Fidelity Bank Arena. A five-match contest begins at 4:30, and varsity could begin around 7:30. Marion then hosts Collierville (TN.) at 3M Transit Arena on Thursday in a non-conference tilt, which also begins around 4:30. You can watch the West Memphis and Collierville varsity matches for free on the Marion Patriots Activities Network YouTube channel.
5A EAST RESULTS FROM 9/11
Marion 3, Valley View 1
Paragould 3, Greene Co. Tech 0
Batesville 3, Nettleton 0
Searcy 3, W. Memphis 0
Mountain Home did not play a conference match.
5A EAST STANDINGS ON 9/12
SCHOOL CONF. RECORD
MARION 5-0
Valley View 3-1
Paragould 3-2
Greene Co. Tech 3-2
Mountain Home 2-2
Batesville 2-3
Nettleton 1-3
Searcy 1-3
W. Memphis 0-4
Top four teams make the state tournament, October 27-29 in Marion.
5A EAST MATCHES ON 9/16
W. Memphis at Marion
Nettleton at Paragould
Valley View at Mountain Home
Batesville at Searcy
Greene Co. Tech does not play a conference match