By DAVID COLBURN

News editor

After suffering an upset first-round exit last year, Marion headed to substate volleyball Saturday at Riley County determined to change the script.

Seeded fourth, the Lady Warriors took on fifth-seed Southeast of Saline, a team they lost to in 3 games in September.

With Marissa Jacobsen serving, Marion reeled off five consecutive points to take an 8-3 lead. The Lady Trojans responded with a streak of their own, tying the set at 9-9.

Kourtney Hansen put Marion back on track with a kill from the left side, and she teamed with Jessi Lewman on a block that gave Marion an 11-9 edge.

Each time Southeast was poised to tie, Marion responded, keeping a slim lead until regaining the serve at 22-20. Lewman ripped a serve that caught the tape on the net and dropped over for a point, then served out the set for a 25-20 win.

The second set was more of the same. Marion edged out to a 12-8 lead, but Southeast came back to tie. Marion opened up a 4-point lead, extended it to 5, and then saw the Lady Trojans creep back to within 1, 21-20.

Southeast got no closer, as Jacobson sent the Lady Trojans packing, 25-20.

Marion’s reward was a second-round match against the 3A No. 1-ranked Silver Lake. This time the Lady Warriors were overmatched by the powerhouse Eagles, losing 25-9, 25-13 to end their season at 28-11.