When Mercy took the court against Marian Wednesday night, it had yet to fall from the peak that last season’s state championship brought the program. 

The Marlins held a 22-game win streak heading into the match, having lost only one set all season — against Stoney Creek Sept. 11 in a tournament game. 

However, when facing the Mustangs, no matter where each team is at, games always seem to be close. 

But after sweeping Marian in three sets that came within three points Sept. 21, Mercy (23-0) came out of its shell a bit in their second meeting, sweeping the Mustangs (14-4), 25-23, 26-24 and 25-11.

The Marlins have not lost a set in 19-straight games. 

“I felt, number one, that they used our block real well,” Mercy head coach Loretta Vogel said. “We were trying to make adjustments on that and changed up some things like that that were effective. I thought they served strong, so I just think we needed to realize some of the things we can benefit on and work on those avenues.” 

Expectation leads to domination

The first set brought the back-and-forth action a Mercy/Marian game is expected to have. Neither team took more than a three-point lead. 

But trailing 21-19 late in the set, the Marlins exploded, recording six of the next eight points, including two dagger kills from senior Ellie Tisko, to secure the three-point victory. 

The second set held a similar storyline for the two teams. Mercy senior Julia Bishop set a ball for senior Charli Atiemo to give the Marlins a 16-12 lead — the largest lead of the game up to that point. But Marian battled back, eventually tying the game with the help of a kill and a block from junior Ava Brizard. 

Another Brizard block and a too-strong kill by Mercy senior Kaylin Collins gave the Mustangs a two-point lead late in the second set, but, like the first, Mercy found a way, starting a 5-1 run with the help of three assists from Bishop to secure the two-point victory.