BROOKLAND- The Marion Patriots volleyball team bested bus trouble and a pair of strong regional opponents here last night to finish 2-1 in their season-opening jamboree, which featured three sets to 25. Class 4A juggernaut Valley View topped Marion 25-16 in the opening set before the Patriots rallied for a 25-18 victory over host Brookland and a 25-12 win against league rival Nettleton. "We really cleaned up some mistakes that we made in the first set against Valley View in the last two sets," said Marion coach Lisa Beasley. "I was concerned how we might come out in the first set because we've only really practiced for the last week. We were all ready to play someone else." Marion was not able to participate in any team camps since starting school the last week of July, and it affected the Pats from the jump against six-time defending state champion Valley View. The teams split the first 24 points of the set before the Blazers scored three straight points, sparked by a pair of Patriot hitting errors. Marion cut the Valley View advantage to 20-16 when senior Madison Keith served an ace, but the Blazers scored the last five points, taking advantage of a pair of Patriot errors. "I just felt we didn't really defend well against Valley View," said Beasley. "We cleaned it up going forward, which was encouraging." Brookland, last season's Class 4A state runners-up, crafted an early 8-3 lead against Marion in the second set before the Pats responded. Marion senior Anna Caroline Fesmire sparked a run of five straight points by logging a pair of kills, setting a Daedrianna Cail kill and serving an ace to help Marion tie the match at eight. A pair of Cail kills staked Marion to its first lead of the set, and the Patriots would not trail again. Brookland worked within 17-14 midway through the set, and threatened to creep closer before Marion senior Kora Wilson recorded a diving dig, leading to a Cail kill for an 18-14 advantage. Consecutive aces from senior Lauryn Keith gave Marion its largest lead and junior Kyiah Rucker closed the set with a pair of kills and a thunderous block to clinch the 25-18 margin. Marion nixed Nettleton early in set No. 3 as Fesmire logged consecutive kills to stake the Patriots to a 6-3 advantage. Senior Kiara Ledezma, Wilson, Cail and Fesmire logged two kills apiece as Marion scored 12 of 13 points to fashion a 22-11 lead in the third set. “I felt we really played every point in the last two sets,” said Beasley. “We really played some strong, team defense. I had to remind the girls that nobody is going to roll over for us. We finished with some great energy and effort” Marion plays at Collierville, Tennessee on Monday before traveling to Beebe Tuesday night. Those games will be streamed on marionpatriots.com and on the Marion Patriots Activities Network app. Thursday's home game against Greene County Tech will not be streamed.