On Thursday, October 23rd, the Marshall Lions volleyball team welcomed the Lawrenceville High School Indians to McNary Gymnasium on Senior Night for Marshall seniors Avery Cornwell, Anna Daugherty, Ella Mattas, and Addy Ross. In front of the largest crowd of the 2025 season, which also had the biggest turnout of Marshall students on hand, along with the greatest pep band in Lincoln Land, the senior student athletes were honored with their parents between the junior varsity and varsity matches. These four special seniors have led a resurgence on the volleyball court for Marshall, and along with juniors Harper Richardson, Ellie Delp, and McKenzie Davis, sophomore Ali Sheets, and freshman Lilly Ross in the primary rotation, this year’s team came into the regular season finale with a record of 21-7.
Standing in the Lions’ way were the Indians from Lawrenceville, who have hovered near the .500 mark all season and came in with a record of 16-19. If the campaign for Lawrenceville were to be described in a few words, it would be a story of good Indians, bad Indians. When they’ve been good, they’ve been really good, registering big wins over Casey-Westfield, Robinson, and LIC conference leader Mount Carmel along the way using their outside striking advantage. It certainly got Marshall’s attention when Lawrenceville defeated Mount Carmel last weekend. The Lions expected a battle in a sea of red inside The Mac.
In an absolute electrifying atmosphere inside the venerable old gymnasium on the campus of Marshall High School, the Lions and Indians put on a classic volleyball thriller which for those in attendance will not soon be forgotten. In a back-and-forth affair, each set went down to the wire. The first set was tied at 23 before Lawrenceville scored two straight points to win the set 25-23. Lawrenceville had two match points in the second set, but both times Marshall dug deep and tied it back up. The second set went to overtime with the score tied at 25. This time, the Lions won the next two points, with Ellie Delp scoring a kill on set point to give Marshall the second set by the score of 27-25, sending the match to a third and deciding set.
After watching their junior varsity squad play in a multitude of three-set matches this season, the varsity squad said, “Why not? It’s Senior Night – let’s play a three-setter, too.” And what a third set it was… The Lions got down by as many as six points in the final set, the latest juncture being with the score 18-12. The Big Red never gave up and marched closer to get within two points at 23-21. Lawrenceville won the next point to go ahead 24-21, but the Lions would not let the Indians get the match winner as Marshall fended off three match points with a kill by Ella Mattas and an ace served by Harper Richardson. With the Lions down 25-24, a tip winner by McKenzie Davis pulled the Lions into a tie at 25 as the home crowd went wild. McNary Gymnasium was simply deafening at this point. The Lions won the next point to go ahead 26-25 when Ella Mattas smashed a kill from the left side to put the Lions one point away from a remarkable comeback win. Avery Cornwell served the next point, and the ball went back and forth over the net with fantastic saves and hits on both sides of the net as the crowd held its collective breath. Lawrenceville finally set up for a kill, but the strike was long, and Marshall began the celebration in winning the final set by the score of 27-25, taking the match two sets to one over Lawrenceville.
After the teams met to congratulate one another after the hard-fought match at center court, the Marshall student section stormed the floor, and the Lions gave their seniors a night to remember. Marshall gets to celebrate for a day, then they turn their attention to the state tournament regional at St. Joseph-Ogden, where on Tuesday night they play Westville in the IHSA Class 2A semifinal round at 7:00 PM. The Lions finish the regular season with a record of 22-7.
Look for the play-by-play match report this weekend in the Marshall Lions Volleyball Facebook page for both the varsity thriller as well as the junior varsity’s straight set victory over Lawrenceville in the final JV match of the season. Photos of both matches will also be uploaded to the Facebook page.
