Volleyball Rallies for Season-Opening Victory at Xavier

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CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Marshall volleyball team overcame a rough start to take the 2021 spring season-opener in five sets (14-25, 25-23, 19-25, 25-21, 15-12) at Xavier on Sunday. Junior libero Sarah Schank set a Thundering Herd program record with 40 digs.

Marshall begins the season 1-0, while the Musketeers drop to 1-1.

"First of all, it feels great to be back in the gym with the team and be able to compete," second-year head coach Ari Aganus said. "It was a gritty win against a great Xavier team. We did some good things and we have a few things to cleanup. Winning on the road is never easy. Winning on the road after a 400+ day hiatus is even harder. We get to go back in the gym tomorrow and get ready for conference play."

The match was the first for Schank at libero during her Herd career. Schank had previously played as an outside hitter, but moved to the position this season after the 2019 graduation of Amber Weber. Schank's 40 digs breaks the old team mark of 37 set by Wendy Williams back on Oct. 9, 1999 against Akron. It is also tied for 10th-best in Conference USA history. Schank tallied 11 digs in the second set, 10 in the third and 10 more in the fourth helping to spur on the Herd defense.

"We wouldn't have been able to get this win without Sarah working as hard as she did today," coach Aganus said. "She is as gritty as they come and she showed that today by breaking the team record. Her heart, passion and determination to do everything she can for the team is the definition of WE over ME."

Redshirt senior Ciara Debell powered through a slow start and began to find holes in the Musketeer defense to lead the Herd with 16 kills. Debell had just six kills through the first three sets. The Ocala, Fla., native exploded in the fourth set with six kills to help the Herd tie the match at 2-2. She added four more in the decisive set including the final point. Debell added 16 digs and three total blocks.

Junior Macy McElhaney had a great debut for the Green & White with 13 kills and two blocks. Senior Destiny Leon totaled 11 kills, hitting at a .409 clip, and totaled five blocks. Freshman Anna Calcagno came out swinging in her collegiate debut and finished with 10 kills and 13 digs for her first career double-double. Sophomore Megan Taylor recorded five kills including a few clutch strikes late in the match.

Senior setter Sydney Lostumo set career-highs with 46 assists, and six clutch kills. Lostumo added 12 digs for her third career double-double at Marshall and also had two service aces. Freshman Dominique Turner made her collegiate debut and came through with 10 digs and two aces. Redshirt freshman Olivia Fogo also made her Herd debut.

Marshall was sluggish out the gate trailing Xavier 10-1 in the first set. The Herd managed to fight back and pulled within six at 13-7, however the Musketeers put the pressure back on and took the first set, 25-14.

The Herd trailed early in the second set as well, down 6-2, before rallying and taking the lead at 10-9 after a Musketeer error. It was back-and-forth for the rest of the set with three ties and two more lead changes. Xavier tied the score for the last time in the set at 22-22, but a kill from McElhaney put Marshall back in the lead for good. Lostumo knocked down a kill to give the Herd the second set, 25-23, and tie the match at 1-1.

The third set belonged to Xavier as the Musketeers jumped out to a 6-2 early lead once again. However, the Herd showed their heart and fight, tying the set at 11-11 on a kill from Calcagno. Marshall managed to tie the score just once more, then Xavier finished off the set, 25-19, to take a 2-1 lead.

The Herd came out firing on all cylinders in the fourth set as Debell led the way with three early kills, and Marshall jumped out to a 10-3 lead, resulting in a Xavier timeout. The Herd maintained the lead and had to hold off a Musketeer rally as Xavier pulled within two at 23-21. A kill by Debell, her sixth of the set, moved it to set-point. A block from Taylor and Leon put the final point on the board, 25-21, and Marshall tied the match at 2-2.

In the fifth and decisive set, the Herd was ready. Xavier tied the set at 1-1, and then a service error gave the lead back to Marshall for good. Three-straight kills from Taylor, Debell and Calcagno forced a Musketeer timeout as the Herd led 7-3. Xavier did not go away pulling back within two at 14-12. However, Debell found the hole in the defense for the final point in the hard-fought win.

Marshall returns to the Cam Henderson Center for the home and Conference USA-opener against Charlotte. The 49ers come to town on Sunday and Monday, Feb. 7-8, with both matches set for a 1 p.m. first serve. Ticketing information is forthcoming.

For all the latest information about Marshall volleyball, follow @HerdVolleyball on Twitter and Marshall University Volleyball on Facebook.

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Volleyball Rallies for Season-Opening Victory at Xavier

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Team Stats

Ciara DeBell

Macy McElhaney

Destiny Leon

Anna Calcagno

Players Mentioned

Anna Calcagno

Ciara DeBell

Olivia Fogo

Destiny Leon

Sydney Lostumo

Macy McElhaney

Sarah Schank

Megan Taylor

Amber Weber

Players Mentioned

Anna Calcagno

Ciara DeBell

Olivia Fogo

Destiny Leon

Sydney Lostumo

Macy McElhaney

Sarah Schank

Megan Taylor

Amber Weber

Marshall University Athletics