Marion Volleyball

Phillips sparks Marion at state tourney

Abby Phillips was hit flush in the face by a vicious kill in the Class 4A state volleyball tournament Tuesday afternoon at the U.S. Cellular Center and simply wiped the sting off her kisser and smiled.

After all she's been through the past month, a little slap in the face was nothing.

Phillips returned to the court after missing four weeks with a broken hand Tuesday and helped the Marion Indians survive Charles City, 27-25, 28-30, 25-21, 25-20, in a seesaw match in the quarterfinals of the state meet in downtown Cedar Rapids.

Broken hand? Slap in the face? A little pain? Phillips just shrugged it off.

"Yeah, she's pretty tough," said Marion Coach Roxanne Paulsen, who was delighted to have the 5-foot-7 libero back in action for the biggest match of the season. "She's a competitor."

It took a supreme team effort by all the Indians (34-7) to earn a date in the semifinals against West Delaware (44-2) Thursday at noon in a battle of Wamac Conference powers, but there's no doubt having Phillips in the lineup was a big boost for Marion.

Read more...

Amanda Sahm wins Metro Spotlight Award

Marion senior Amanda Sahm is the winner of the Metro Spotlight Award for high school girls this week, the Metro Sports Report announced Sunday.

Sahm, 5-foot-7, is one of the top volleyball players in the state and a key member of the Marion High School team that will face Charles City in the opening round of the Class 4A state tournament at the U.S. Cellular Center on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

Sahm has accepted a scholarship to play Division I college volleyball at Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina.

Sahm has been a "do-it-all" player for Coach Roxanne Paulsen and the Indians during her career. She ranks eighth in the state in Class 4A with 729 assists and has played all 99 sets for Marion.

Read more...

Marion selling state volleyball tickets

Marion High School is selling tickets for the state volleyball tournament.

Tickets cost $10 and will be available in the main office at the school on the following dates and times:

Friday - 9 a.m. to noon

Monday - 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Tuesday - 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Tickets cost $10. Make checks payable to Marion High School.

Tickets also can be purchased at the U.S. Cellular Center ticket office before the game. Marion will face Charles City in the first round of the state tournament on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

Marion saved day for state volleyball

If you've never attended the state volleyball tournament at the U.S. Cellular Center, do yourself a favor and stop by next week.

You'll be glad you did.

You do not have to be a volleyball fan to enjoy the tournament. You don't even have to know the teams, although watching the Marion Indians will be an added bonus.

If you like sports and competition, you'll enjoy the state volleyball tournament for its sheer athletic excellence. The jumping ability and reflexes of these girls is a pleasure to behold.

I remember the first time I was assigned to cover the state tournament. Volleyball, I remember thinking? You've got to be kidding. That's something you play at family picnics.

I went to the U.S. Cellular Center, kicking and screaming, and actually enjoyed myself. It's a remarkable sport with some truly remarkable athletes.

The tournament will be held next Tuesday through Friday, with all five championship matches scheduled for Friday. That would be a great day to camp out in downtown Cedar Rapids.

Read more...