Marshall Volleyball Sweeps Old Dominion in Norfolk Opener
The Marshall University volleyball team secured a commanding sweep over the Old Dominion Monarchs with set scores of 25-17, 25-23, and 25-14 on Friday night in Norfolk, Virginia, HerdZone.com reported. Marshall controlled the pace early and never trailed in the opening frame, extending an 8-1 run to a comfortable 17-9 advantage before taking the set. The visiting Thundering Herd improved their overall record to 13-8 and 6-3 in Sun Belt Conference play.
Offensive Dominance and Defensive Adjustments at the Net
Marae Reilly led Marshall’s offensive attack with 10 kills on 13 errorless attacks, finishing the match with a scorching .769 hitting percentage. Emma Barnett paced the team with a double-double consisting of 12 kills and 10 digs, while setter Kahea Carvalho handed out 22 assists. Defensively, Beatrice Ciccarelli anchored the net with a game-high five blocks to help stymie the Monarchs.
Both of our middles were prime performers tonight!
Marshall Head Coach Heather Stout said. Marae Reilly was on fire offensively, while Cicca made a huge impact on both sides of the ball, especially with some big-time defensive plays late in the game!
Contrasting Set Battles Decide the Match
While the first set favored the Thundering Herd comfortably and the third frame ended in a lopsided 25-14 decision featuring a .426 team hitting percentage, the second set demanded a gritty response. Old Dominion erased a late deficit to capture a 23-22 lead before Marshall closed out the frame with three consecutive points to avoid a tie. Stout noted that despite the sweep, the squad still has execution areas to refine heading into the next contest.
We’ve got a few things to clean up with our passing and blocking tomorrow, but this group continues to respond, fight, and find ways to win,
Stout said.
Norfolk Rematch Scheduled for Saturday Afternoon
Marshall looks to complete the weekend sweep of Old Dominion on Saturday at 2 p.m. in Norfolk. The Thundering Herd will return to Huntington following the conclusion of the weekend series as the conference schedule continues.
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