MARION (September 22, 2026) – A Southwest District showdown at the Hurricane House didn’t go Lebanon’s way. Marion sits alone atop the SWD volleyball standings after handing the Pioneers a 3-0 setback (25-18, 25-22, 25-22).
“This was a good win,” said Marion coach Amanda Hanshew. “We’re working to maintain our consistency from point to point, set to set, and throughout the match. We’ve struggled a little with being up by a minute, only to have a couple of things go wrong and bottom out. So, we really want to work on our consistency and focus throughout the match.”
Lebanon (8-4, 3-1 SWD) had been undefeated until a tournament in Abingdon on Saturday. The Pioneers were undone by mistakes on Tuesday.
“We never really seemed to get the momentum,” Lebanon coach Dennis Price said. “We played from behind most of the game. In the second set, when we did get the lead, we went through a stretch where we didn’t play well and let them back in.
“We just had so many errors. I think we had over 40 errors tonight. You can’t beat a good team making that many errors and mistakes. But we’re working at it, and we’ll keep at it and see what happens.”
The Scarlet Hurricane sprinted to a 4-0 lead in the first set and was never tied or trailed as they rolled to the win. Lebanon put up a strong fight in set two, which was tied 11 times and saw nine lead changes. With the Pioneers up 21-17, and Sadie Amos dominant at the net, Marion took eight of the final nine points to rally.
“I called a timeout and told them we were running out of time,” Hanshew noted. “If we were going to make a move, we had to make it then. We had to take it one point at a time. I was proud of how they maintained their composure and played smart. Instead of getting overly aggressive with the ball, they were smart about their placement. That consistent surge behind the service line helped us out there, too.”
In set three, with the Pioneers leading 19-17, Halle Richardson served an ace to tie it for the eighth time, then gave the Hurricanes the lead with another ace as they pulled away for the sweep.
The Pioneers had two critical service errors in the third.
“That’s the big thing. It seemed like we could never get over the hump,” Price declared. “We couldn’t ever get that confidence. I felt like if we could get one set, we’d get a little confidence and play a whole lot better.
“We’ll just get back at it and get back to work. That’s all we can do right now, and hopefully we’ll play better the next game.”
Amos and Aubrey Yarber pounded 10 kills each to lead the frontline for Marion.
Macie Hanshew doled out 26 assists.
“Yarber hits the ball well,” remarked Price. “She’s quick. They’ve got an excellent setter (Hanshew), which makes it easy for her. The setter just puts it on a silver platter for her and does a great job. But, yeah, Yarber can swing. She’s quick, gets off the floor quickly, and she did a good job.”
It seemed whenever Marion needed a point, Amos was there to provide it.
“Sadie’s a senior, and you’d expect your seniors to step up when it’s time to put some points on the board and help lead your team, Hanshew said. “So, I’m proud of them.
“I thought Sadie Amos played one of her best games tonight offensively at the net. Yarber is so explosive. When she gets up and gets a hold of a ball, she can really put it down. We’ve got some good offensive weapons. As long as we’re passing well and placing the ball well, hopefully we can finish.”
Marion (7-9, 3-0 SWD) has played an extremely tough schedule. It appears to have paid off.
“I think so. That’s the reason we play in those tournaments—to get different looks at people and see different styles of play,” remarked Hanshew. “We talk about them, analyze them, and go back to look at what we did well and the weaknesses we have.
“When you’re playing outside your normal area and against bigger schools, it really shows you what you need to work on. That’s been a focus, and hopefully we can build on that and keep pushing forward.”
Jaidyn Fields (eight kills, 11 assists) was solid in the loss. Carlee Ingram (five kills, five aces) and Kaytie Lampkin (five kills) provided support. Kenlie Fields led the defense with 23 digs.
The Pioneers will have another shot. They host Marion later this season.
“We get another chance,” Price stated. “It’s early in the season, and it’s always tough to play up here. Marion always does a good job. We’ll see what happens. We’ve just got to let this one go and move on. It’s hard, but you’ve got to.”
