Marist volleyball opened its 2026 season at the Maroon and White Classic, finishing 0-3 after battling through a pair of close matches. Despite Marist’s struggles, sophomore setter Caelyn Dumas earned All-Tournament Team honors after her standout weekend.
Marist, who finished 10-20 overall and 8-10 in conference play last season, was voted eighth out of twelve teams in the 2026 Metro Preseason Poll. Senior outside hitter Sara Dasic was named to the preseason All-Metro Team as the Red Foxes begin a 31-match schedule that includes 18 conference opponents.
The Red Foxes battled Lafayette in the opening match, trading points with the Leopards in a competitive first set before Lafayette took a 1-0 lead. The Red Foxes responded in kind, recording 14 kills with just two errors to even the match at one.
The Leopards took the third set, but Marist fought back in the fourth. The final set featured nine ties and six lead changes, as the Red Foxes surged late to tie the score at 28-28. Ultimately, Lafayette pulled in front, scoring two straight to secure the 30-28 fourth set and win.
Sophomore outside hitter Mallory Reck led Marist offensively with 10 kills, 17 digs, and 11.5 points, while Dumas added five kills, seven points, and a team-high 37 assists.
The Red Foxes returned to the court on Saturday evening against Delaware, falling in three straight sets, 20-25, 21-25 and 25-27.
After dropping two straight sets, Marist made a late push in the third. The set featured 11 ties and three lead changes, with the Red Foxes battling Delaware to a 25-25 tie before the Blue Hens scored the final two points to close out the match.
Reck led Marist on offense once again, adding another 10 kills and one assist. On defense, senior libero Cecilia Potter-Pessoa led the team with eight digs while senior libero Claudia Kasperski added six.
Marist closed the weekend on Sunday morning, falling in five sets against Montana State. After falling behind 0-2, Marist fought back to tie it at 2-2 and forced a decisive fifth set.
Junior middle blocker Sarah Bumstead led the offense in the third set with seven kills while Potter-Pessoa anchored the defense with nine digs. Marist continued its momentum in the fourth, posting a .412 hitting percentage and recording 16 kills. Despite the comeback, Montana State secured the victory in the fifth set, 15-12.
Dumas capped the weekend with a career-high 52 assists against Montana State, helping lead Marist’s comeback after the Red Foxes struggled early. She finished the weekend with 112 assists, 30 digs, 13 kills and three blocks while earning All-Tournament Team honors.
The Red Foxes will remain on the road and head west to Denver, Colorado, for the Denver Invitational next weekend. Marist will face Idaho, Southern Illinois, and Denver during the three-day tournament.
Edited by August Lieberman
Photo by Xavier Angel
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