Stumbling in the opening weekend of Sun Belt Conference play, Marshall Volleyball dropped back-to-back matches to Coastal Carolina at the Cam Henderson Center. The Herd (8-7, 0-2 SBC) fell in straight sets Friday, Sept. 26, before battling in a competitive four-set loss Saturday.
Friday’s opener saw the Chanticleers (9-4, 2-0 SBC) take control early and never look back, sweeping the Herd 25-12, 25-21 and 25-18. Marshall struggled to keep pace with Coastal at the net as the Chanticleers out-blocked it 15-4 and hit .323 across the match.
“I thought it took us too long to get going,” Marshall head coach Heather Stout said after the match. “When we served aggressive, we got what we wanted. It’s just not doing things consistent enough, and you can’t have that with a team like Coastal.”
Despite the defeat, Marshall saw solid performances from some of the team. Beatrice Ciccarelli recorded seven kills and three blocks, while Marae Reilly matched her with seven kills on .500 hitting. Emma Barnett added four kills, eight digs and an ace.
The team’s brightest moment came in the second set when it clawed back from a seven-point deficit to trail just 17-16. However, Coastal Carolina responded with a late push to secure the set and later closed out the match in three.
Saturday’s rematch provided a more competitive showing for Marshall with a win of 25-21 for the opening set after a 6-1 lead.
Barnett finished with a standout performance: 13 kills, four aces, .297 hitting percentage, nine digs and 17 points. Ciccarelli added 10 kills, 12 points and three blocks, while setter Bella Thompson tallied 24 assists. Libero Emma Sayre anchored the defense with a match-high 17 digs.
“I was proud of the adjustments we made from last night’s match into today’s,” Stout said. “I also thought we played aggressively — even out of system — taking big swings that helped us capture the momentum and ultimately take set one. Our serve and pass game let us down in crucial moments, making it difficult to get back into an offensive rhythm.”
Marshall couldn’t sustain momentum after winning the first set. Coastal Carolina responded with a 25-13 second-set win, then pulled away late in the third and fourth sets to complete the 3-1 victory.
While the Herd fell short, the matches marked the team’s first taste of Sun Belt play in 2025 and offered a glimpse at both the progress and challenges ahead.
For two Marshall fans in attendance who had previously played volleyball throughout their schooling, the weekend loss was something they understood all too well.
“Winning a match against a team means that it is possible to win the overall game, which makes a loss that much more disappointing,” Erin Sturgill said. “Take a loss as a learning moment and employ those new strategies, so the next game results in a win.”
“It’s hard to come back mentally after being shut down like that,” Alyssa Ransbottom said. “Getting out of your head and getting that energy back is something that your team has to learn how to do together to be able to grow. It can’t be done individually; it has to be a team effort, or it just won’t work.”
The Herd will need growth as it hits the road Friday, Oct. 3, for Georgia Southern, which will mark the first away Sun Belt Conference play for the team.
Ella Hatfield can be contacted at [email protected]
