MURFREESBORO, TENN. – Last year, it took Marist volleyball a month and a half to get in the win column; they did not wait nearly as long to do so in 2025.
The Red Foxes dispatched UT Martin in three sets on Saturday afternoon, tearing apart the Skyhawks with a blistering offensive display.
“It was good to get that [first win] over with at the start of the season to know we can do it, especially when we come to these tournaments. These are great teams,” said sophomore outside hitter Eden Bristow.
On the heels of a 3-0 loss on Friday night and ahead of a daunting match with Mississippi State on Sunday morning, grabbing the win against UT Martin made the weekend trip to Murfreesboro worthwhile for the Red Foxes.
Junior outside hitter Sara Dasic’s 13 kills led Marist, but UT Martin had no answer for Bristow, who tallied nine kills on only 12 swings, good for an unbelievable .750 hitting percentage.
“When I got up there, I saw a lot of the line was open, so that’s where I got most of my kills,” Bristow said.
“If they’re blocking cross, I’m gonna hit the line. If they’re blocking the line, I’m gonna hit the cross,” added Dasic. “My teammates helped a lot because they were yelling from behind me what to hit.”
Errors and inefficient attacking plagued Marist in their Friday night loss to Middle Tennessee State; they started Saturday’s match playing a lot cleaner. The Red Foxes scored four kills on their first six swings – two from freshman setter Caelyn Dumas – and grabbed a 7-2 lead to force a Skyhawks timeout.
UT Martin chipped away as they started to get more solid block touches to slow down Marist’s attacks, culminating in a thunderous block by freshman opposite hitter Sienna Wnetrzak on freshman outside hitter Mallory Reck that cut the Red Foxes’ lead to two points.
It looked as if Marist pulled away for good, thanks to a solo block by freshman setter Caelyn Dumas to put Marist up six, but the Skyhawks rattled off six out of seven points. Then, with UT Martin within one at 22-21, sophomore middle hitter Taylor Miller stopped the bleeding with a beautiful swing from the right side, giving Marist a little breathing room.
In her first start of the season after being named to the 2024 All-MAAC Rookie Team, Miller put together an impressive first set, recording four kills to only one error in the frame.
Kills from sophomore middle hitter Sarah Bumstead and Reck clinched the victory in the first, as Marist thwarted the late-set push by the Skyhawks to win 25-23.
The Red Foxes and Skyhawks evenly split the first 30 points of the second set, but Marist took control from there. Though aided by six UT Martin missed serves, Marist won the second set by dominating at the net.
While Dasic led Marist with seven kills in the set, Bristow stole the show. Entering the set near the halfway point after Reck’s hitting struggles continued (two kills, four errors), Bristow nailed four kills on limited swings, including Marist’s last two points of the set.
“I think Mallory has had a tough stretch,” said Byron. “She’s got to find ways to kill the ball. She’ll be back, and she’ll be okay, but I think Eden’s earned the right to play tomorrow.”
Bristow and Dasic stayed hot to start the third to help Marist stretch out to a 16-7 lead. UT Martin never made it interesting after that; the Red Foxes cruised to a 25-15 victory, powered by five kills from Bristow and four from Dasic.
As a team, the Red Foxes effectively put the ball away to end rallies, something they have not efficiently done so far in the young season. Marist posted a .417 kill percentage, converting 40 kills on 96 attempts.
While the hitters racked up the kills, the uptick on offense can also be credited to two freshmen: setter Caelyn Dumas and libero Haylee Wenner. In addition to her 31 assists, Dumas recorded two kills of her own, two blocks and an ace.
In the ever-changing fight for the starting libero position, Wenner made a great impression in the victory. The freshman tallied 16 digs and four assists, while playing well in serve receive – an area in which the Red Foxes have struggled in their first few matches.
Marist wraps up its weekend slate at the Blue Raider Bash with a matchup with Mississippi State, its toughest opponent on the season. First serve is set for 11 a.m. (12 p.m. EST).
Edited by Gene Barbieri
Photo and graphic by Gene Barbieri
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