Marshall Volleyball experienced a tough weekend of competition as they faced off against the James Madison Dukes. On Friday, Nov. 3, they fell in three sets, with scores of 25-18, 25-18 and 25-21 in Harrisonburg, Virginia. 

Despite the loss, Brynn Brown stood out with an impressive triple-double, recording 16 assists, 11 digs, and 10 kills. Peyton Neal also had a match-high 16 digs.

In the first set, Marshall struggled to gain momentum and lost 25-18. The second set saw several lead changes and tied scores, but they still fell 25-18. In the third set, the Herd battled through six lead changes and 12 ties, but James Madison ultimately sealed the match with a 25-21 win.

The following day, Marshall faced off against the Dukes once again, but this time they managed to take them to four sets. The Herd lost the first set with a score of 25-12 but bounced back with a close set of 25-23. Marshall ultimately fell short in closing out the game, surrendering the final two sets by scores of 25-12 and 25-15.

Despite the loss, head coach Ari Aganus remained optimistic about their progress and is looking forward to their upcoming road swing and conference tournament. 

“We’re peaking at the right time, and it’s something special when it all comes together,” she said. 

Brown continued to impress with a double-double, recording 27 assists and 14 digs. Neal contributed with a team-high 18 digs, while Essence Clerkley had 11 kills.