Marshall Volleyball returned from the Michigan Invitational doubleheader on Saturday, Sept. 6, with a split victory and loss, but the bigger story may be the impact its performance is having beyond the court.
The Herd (4-2) opened Saturday with a four-set win over Southern Indiana before dropping a competitive match to host Michigan at the Crisler Center.
Head coach Heather Stout said the weekend offered both challenges and opportunities for her team which continues to develop its identity early in the season.
Marshall opened the day with a 25-20 win, a 25-16 win, a 25-22 loss and a 25-13 victory over Southern Indiana. Audrey Geer struck 13 kills for the Herd while Beatrice Ciccarelli dominated at the net finishing with 10 kills and eight blocks. Her final block sealed the fourth set and gave Marshall momentum heading into the evening.
The Herd powered through in the opening two sets, using efficient attacking and a strong blocking presence to control the pace. Southern Indiana responded in the third set, taking advantage of a series of Marshall errors to win 25-22. Instead of folding, the Herd regrouped, delivering its strongest set of the day with a 25-13 finish in the fourth set.
In the next game, Marshall fell 25-19, 25-21 and 25-17 to Michigan. Geer again led with six kills and six digs while Logan Henderson matched her with six kills and a block. Marae Reilly contributed five kills on a .417 hitting percentage, and Ciccarelli added five kills and two blocks.
The Herd’s most competitive moments came in the second and third sets. In the second, Marshall fought back to tie the score at 18 before Michigan surged ahead again. In the third, the Herd closed to within two points, but Michigan used a 6-0 run to close the match.
Maya Hunt finished with 11 assists and a service ace as Marshall showed fight against a Big Ten opponent.
While the split left the Herd at 4-2 overall, the weekend highlighted a broader story: the rising visibility of women’s sports and the influence Marshall athletes are having on younger generations.
Women’s volleyball has seen rapid growth in recent years. In the fall of 2023, the University of Nebraska set a world record for women’s sporting event attendance with more than 92,000 fans at a volleyball match in Memorial Stadium. National broadcasts and streaming coverage have brought more exposure to programs across the country, giving players platforms to inspire.
In Huntington and surrounding areas, the influence is evident. Thirteen-year-old Annistin Blair, who plays middle school volleyball, said she follows Marshall volleyball closely.
“I watch all of their games on TV, and I have went to a couple in-person. Watching them makes me feel like I can play at a big school one day,” Blair said. “I’ve been to (volleyball training) camps at Marshall, and it inspires me to keep trying hard when I play.”
For some of the older athletes, watching collegiate level athletics is motivational and sets an example of what level they need to be at to compete.
“When I see girls that look like me and play like I do, it shows me that it is possible to keep playing at the next level,” said Olivia Johnson, high school volleyball junior. “Watching the technique of the girls that play the same position as me definitely helps me learn what I need to do better. It just pushes me to try and do the best that I can because I really want to be able to play in college.”
Marshall now turns its attention to its first home game of the season Tuesday, Sept. 9, against Eastern Kentucky University at the Cam Henderson Center. The matchup not only marks the Herd’s return to Huntington, but also another opportunity to showcase the growth of women’s athletics in front of the home crowd.
Ella Hatfield can be contacted at [email protected].
