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ALLIANCE -- The Marietta College volleyball team rallied from four match points down in the fifth set to defeat Mount Union in an Ohio Athletic Conference thriller on Tuesday evening (34-32, 10-25, 22-25, 25-16, 18-16). With the victory, the Pioneers improved to 14-6 overall and remained unblemished in conference play at 3-0. Mount Union dropped to 16-4 overall and 2-2 in the OAC.
The opening set proved to be a marathon featuring 14 ties and six lead changes. Marietta seized early momentum, building a 12-6 advantage following an attack error by the Purple Raiders. Mount Union responded behind the hitting of Sadie Thomas to draw even at 17-17 and eventually pushed Marietta to the brink at 23-19. The Pioneers answered under pressure, generating a 5-1 run to pull level at 24-24 on an unforced Mount Union error before a Karley Allwood kill handed Marietta set point at 25-24. From there, both squads traded side-outs through eight additional ties all the way to 32-32. A service error by Mount Union gave Marietta the edge, and a Purple Raider attack ended the marathon set, giving Marietta the 34-32 set one victory.
Mount Union regrouped immediately in the second set, capitalizing on Pioneer miscues to take a 12-2 lead and close out set two, 25-10. The third set three saw Marietta regain its composure, leading 15-12 and 22-20 following kills from Karly Launder and AnnaBelle Hacker. However, the host Raiders countered with a decisive 5-0 finishing surge, highlighted by kills from Ava Bolen, Zoe Sweigart, and Molly McKee, to win set three 25-22 and take a 2-1 match advantage.
Facing defeat on the road, Marietta elevated its defense and transition offense in the fourth set. After back-to-back service aces from Keatyn Haynes vaulted the Pioneers ahead early, the teams sat tied at 14-14. Launder then stepped to the service line and ignited a 7-0 Pioneer run. During the burst, Launder tallied a kill and an ace, Hacker added a solo block, and Elyse Smith tipped down a kill to stretch the lead to 21-14. Allwood put down two late kills to lock up the 25-16 set four win and send the match to a decisive fifth set.
The deciding frame appeared to belong to Mount Union early, as the Raiders raced out to a 9-4 lead and eventually held a commanding 12-7 cushion. Mount Union reached match point at 14-11, but the Pioneers refused to go quietly. Allwood kickstarted the comeback with a kill in the middle, and Emily Piehler followed with a sharp strike off an assist from Smith to make it 13-14. Serving to stay in the match, Smith delivered a clutch service ace to knot the score at 14-14. Sweigart earned Mount Union a fourth match point with a kill at 15-14, but Piehler answered again with an equalizer. Allwood then provided a solo block to give Marietta its first match point at 16-15. After McKee prolonged the duel with a kill for Mount Union, Launder hammered down a kill to make it 17-16. Sarah Podkul then dropped an ace into the Raider backcourt, completing the dramatic 18-16 comeback win.
Four Pioneers recorded double-digit kills, spearheaded by Piehler’s team-high 17 kills. Launder posted a double-double with 16 kills and 27 digs, while Hacker supplied 15 kills and three blocks. Allwood tallied 10 kills and four total blocks. Smith collected 45 assists and six digs, while Jayden Austermiller added eight assists. Defensively, Keatyn Haynes and Podkul anchored the back row alongside Launder, each recording 13 digs.
The Pioneers will return home for a Homecoming matchup as they will welcome in Heidelberg this Friday to Ban Johnson Arena. The conference battle is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.