As the Marion Patriots motored to their best start to a season in school history, many of the players setting the tone have been the nine seniors on the roster. Anna Caroline Fesmire, Daedrianna Cail, Riley Jackson, Madison and Lauryn Keith, Kora Wilson, Kiara Ledezma, Hannah Grace Hallum and Emerson Miller celebrated their senior night on Thursday at Fidelity Bank Arena prior to the varsity contest against Batesville. Then they swept the Pioneers in straight sets (25-15, 25-8 and 25-16). "Tonight was very emotional for me. We celebrated our tremendously talented and amazing group of seniors," said Marion coach Lisa Beasley. "I have to keep telling myself our season isn't over. We ain't done yet." The accomplishments of Marion's (24-1 overall, 14-0 5A East) seniors are immense. The Patriots have won 24 consecutive games and earned the school's first conference title since 2016. The 2021 Patriots have lost only five sets. One of those lost sets came in September at Batesville, and the Pioneers looked poised to do it again in the opening stanza on Thursday. BHS claimed an early 12-9 lead following a Sophie Poole kill. Marion's response was swift as Fesmire dished an assist to Jackson for a kill before Madison Keith set Wilson for a kill to drag the Pats within 12-11. Cail posted consecutive points to give Marion a 13-12 lead before Madison Keith served an ace for a 14-12 Marion advantage, forcing a Batesville timeout. Fesmire's passing took center stage after the stoppage as Marion's playmaker assisted on five of eight Patriot points for a 21-15 lead. Marion took advantage of three Batesville hitting errors down the stretch to pull away for a 25-15 opening-set conquest. The second set was a Marion master class. The Patriots zipped to an early 6-1 lead behind two kills and an ace from Wilson and a Madison Keith ace. Junior Madison Allison and Cail each recorded three kills as Marion's lead swelled to 17-3. A Fesmire ace and a Kiah Rucker kill pushed the Patriot advantage to 20-5. Fesmire set Wilson, Cail and Ledezma for kills before Lauryn Keith set Fesmire to clinch a 25-8 second-set conquest. "The second set was nearly perfect," said Beasley. "Our chemistry is just spot on right now. We play so well and seem to read each other's minds and we know what each other is going to do before we do it." Fesmire handed out a pair of assists to Cail and one to Allison early in the third set as Marion took an early 6-2 lead. Lauryn Keith went to work, handing out three assists as the Marion lead swelled to 12-7, forcing a Batesville timeout. Cail sparked a Marion run as she recorded three kills wrapped around a pair of Madison Keith aces. Fesmire recorded a kill or an assist on five of the last Marion points as the Pats closed out the Pioneers. "The atmosphere tonight was amazing," said Beasley. "The crowd, our senior night decor, the music. It was what high school athletics is all about. What a way to top off your senior night than with a big win and to finish conference play undefeated. My heart is full." Fesmire (eight kills) handed out a team-high 20 assists, while Lauryn Keith dished 14 helpers. Cail tallied a team-high 18 kills while Ledezma and Jackson logged four and three kills, respectively. Madison Keith posted a team-high 19 digs while Miller stacked 11 digs. Wilson logged eight digs, stacked four kills and served a pair of aces. Hallum recorded four digs. Marion plays its final regular-season game Thursday at home against Class 6A Cabot. The Patriots will host the Class 5A state volleyball tournament at Fidelity Bank Arena and 3M Transit Arena. Marion will be the No. 1 seed from the East and will open its run Tuesday, October 26 at 4 p.m.