Trojans Come Up Short in Hard-Fought Battle with No. 22 Knights

INDIANAPOLIS – Taylor won the opening set and played several long stretches of determined volleyball thereafter, but No. 22 Marian (14-2, 5-1 CL) gutted out the remaining sets for a 3-1 win on its home court Saturday afternoon.

Seeking to end a four-match losing streak, the Trojans came out with energy and cohesion as they raced to a 12-4 advantage and claimed the first set 25-16 in wire-to-wire fashion.

Head coach Erin Luthy featured Ava Kraft, typically an outside hitter, from the service line at multiple points throughout the match, beginning early in the first set with a 7-4 lead. Kraft paid off that move with three consecutive aces in the midst of a 6-0 TU run, and the junior also notched five kills in the opening frame as she willed the Purple and Grey to its nine-point win.

As Taylor took a 3-0 advantage in the second set, Marian quickly shifted the tide and showcased its firepower to even the match.

The Trojans appeared to be headed for another lopsided defeat in the third frame trailing 16-7, but freshman Daya Vestal led a refocused effort that helped give them a stunning three-point edge at 21-18. MU regrouped following a timeout, however, and the Knights ultimately handed TU a gut-punch, 25-23 defeat in the third set.

Taylor used a balanced attack that produced 16 kills during a tight fourth set – in which the score was tied on six occasions – but 22nd-ranked Marian came out on top.

Grace Ieremia was active with a match-high 14 kills on 34 attacks, with Reagan Kleiman joining her in double-figure kills with 11. Lindsay Springer recorded 44 assists for the second straight contest, adding four kills without an attack error to boot. Vestal also produced a career-high six kills without an error in just 10 swings.

Kraft's three service aces marked the first such points in her career, while Suzanne Storey also landed a pair of aces during the match.

The Trojans recorded a season-high 81 digs defensively (13 more than Marian) with 25 opposition attacks dug out by Flagle, and another 26 digs combined from Lindsay Springer and Jen Springer.

TU (6-12, 1-5 CL) plays its next two matches inside Odle Arena, beginning with Saint Francis (7-10, 0-5) on Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m.