OMAHA, NE – The Marquette University men’s volleyball squad (8-6, 3-1 BIG EAST) delivered a thrilling five-set victory over conference rival Creighton (8-8, 3-1 BIG EAST) Sunday afternoon at D.J. Sokol Arena.
Key performers spark comeback
Carson Tyler led the charge with a double‑double, posting 21 kills, seven service aces and 17 digs. Supporting him, Caydence Doolan and Tani Juric each contributed 10 kills, while Molly Welge added eight error‑free kills for a .421 hitting percentage and three blocks. Setter Luanna Markus directed the offense with 43 assists and chipped in 13 digs. Freshman Emi Juric tallied 12 digs and two aces, and Julia Stanev added three kills on .300 hitting with three blocks.
Opening set favors Creighton
Creighton surged ahead early, jumping to a 5-0 lead on three service aces from Nora Wurtz and never trailed in the first set. Marquette clawed back to within three points at 9-6, but the Bluejays responded with a 5-0 run to take a 20-12 advantage and ultimately closed the opener 25-16.
Marquette evens the match in set two
After falling behind 7-3, Marquette rallied with a 6-1 run highlighted by back‑to‑back service aces from Tyler and consecutive blocks, taking a 9-8 lead. Creighton briefly reclaimed the lead, but the Golden Eagles answered with a 4-0 surge to lead 18-16. Tyler’s four kills in the closing stretch helped Marquette pull ahead 23-20, and despite a late Creighton push, Doolan’s consecutive kills sealed a 25-22 set win, tying the match.
Third set goes to Creighton
The Bluejays regained momentum, building an 8-4 lead early and extending it to 18-12. Marquette kept within striking distance, but Creighton closed the set 25-17 to lead the match 2-1.
Fourth set sees Marquette force a decider
Tyler’s service aces sparked a 4-0 start for Marquette. Creighton answered, taking an 8-7 edge, but the Golden Eagles broke a 10-10 tie with a 6-0 run that featured four kills from Tyler and a key point from Stanev. Marquette surged ahead 22-15 and held on for a 25-21 set win, leveling the match at two sets each.
Fifth‑set drama delivers the win
Trailing 2-0 early, Marquette responded with three straight service aces from Tyler to lead 4-2. The teams exchanged runs, with Creighton briefly up 10-8 before Marquette reclaimed the lead 11-10. Neither side led by more than one point thereafter. With the score tied at 17, Stanev and Markus combined for a decisive block, giving Marquette match point. Tyler capped the effort with the game‑winning kill, finishing the set 19-17 and securing a 3-2 victory for Marquette.
Looking ahead
Marquette will return home this weekend, hosting Georgetown on Friday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m. CT in the Al McGuire Center.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
