JONESBORO --- The Marion Marathon is officially over, and not a moment too soon for the Patriot volleyball team. Marion capped a wild stretch where it played 32 sets in seven days Thursday night with a straight-set (25-18, 25-10, and 25-17) over previously unbeaten Nettleton inside Raider Gymnasium. Marion (8-4 overall, 2-0 5A East) now takes a week-long break before welcoming south Crittenden County and conference rival West Memphis to 3M Transit Arena on Thursday, September 7 for a contest that will be broadcast live on MarionPatriots.com. Marion started fast against Nettleton, scoring six of the first seven points, including four assists from junior Maggie Miller, who found sophomore Kennedy Bullins twice, and Alexa Shinabery and Kaitlyn Austin once apiece. However, Nettleton (3-1, 1-1) pushed back in the middle part of the set, working within two points on three occasions before sophomore Reese Goodwin and Shinabery registered kills and a pair of Nettleton hitting errors gave the Pats a 13-9 lead. Miller set Bullins and Austin for consecutive points later on as Marion's lead hit 19-14 and forced a Nettleton timeout. The stoppage did little to slow the Pats as Miller logged a pair of kills and handed out three assists as Marion took down a 25-18 victory in the opener. The Pats hit the Raiders with another fast start in the second set as Bullins scored on a pair of kills and two blocks while Austin served an ace and Shinabery registered kills on consecutive plays as Marion led 7-0. But Nettleton hung around through the middle part of the second stanza, getting within four twice, but Marion hit the overdrive when Miller found Bullins and Shinabery for kills and Austin served a pair of aces as the Marion lead hit 18-8 to force a Raider timeout. Shinabery, Goodwin, and Bullins all tallied kills down the stretch to push the Pats to an impressive 15-point conquest to set up match point. Marion kept the pedal to the metal in the third set, scoring the first two points and four of the first six as Austin, Bullins, and Miller all chalked up kills, but neither team could gain much separation until Miller went to work, setting up kills from Bullins, and Kendall Brown for a 9-5 lead. Once Brown established herself, she didn't want to slow down. Her kill kicked off a run of three straight points, and five of seven as the Marion lead hit 13-7. Nettleton had crawled within 17-14 later on when Miller set kills by Brown, Bullins, and Shinabery, while Austin served an ace pushed the Pats ahead by six. With Marion ahead 22-17, sophomore Abby Simmons registered a kill and Miller set Brown and Shinabery to help the Pats close out the Raiders. LONG WEEK The Patriots kicked off the "Marion Marathon" last Thursday night with a highly competitive four-set loss at Collierville, Tennessee. On Friday night, Marion won its first two matches at the River City Classic in two sets apiece. Saturday saw the Pats play five high-intensity matches, including three that went to three sets, as Marion earned the 2023 River City Classic title as the tournament's No. 7 seed. Marion took Sunday off from volleyball activities before opening its home schedule on Monday afternoon in a three-set loss to Wynne. Tuesday saw the Pats open league action in an emotional, entertaining five-set victory over defending 5A East champion and state runner-up Valley View at home. Then Marion wrapped up a very busy seven-day run Thursday night at Nettleton. 5A EAST RESULTS FROM THURSDAY, AUGUST 31 Marion 3, Nettleton 0 Greene County Tech 3, W. Memphis 1 Paragould 3, Searcy 0 Batesville-Valley View went late 5A EAST STANDINGS Marion 2-0 Greene County Tech 2-0 Valley View 1-0 Batesville 1-0 Nettleton 1-1 Paragould 1-1 Searcy 0-2 W. Memphis 0-2