Marshall Volleyball Recap
By Shane Darling, FM88 Sports
Sept. 10, 2025
HUNTINGTON, W. Va. (WMUL-FM) — Marshall Volleyball (4-2) hosted the Eastern Kentucky Colonels (4-2) in the Herd’s 2025 home opener on Tuesday night.
These two squads faced off last season in Marshall’s home opener as well, and EKU took a 3-1 victory home on the short two-hour bus ride back to Richmond. However, the new year means two different rosters competing on both sides of the net.
Marshall is returning some key members from last season, including Audrey Geer, Beatrice Ciccarelli, and Emma Sayre. Geer was the Herd’s kill leader as a freshman last season with 299. Ciccarelli was a force for the Herd as the block and service ace leader with 110 and 28, respectively. Lastly, sophomore Emma Sayre has stepped into the libero role for the Thundering Herd after previous libero and dig leader in 2024, Peyton Neal, transferred to the University of Colorado. The Herd managed to add an astonishing freshman Emma Barnett, who led the Herd in kills this season going into the matchup with EKU. Barnett came out of the gates hot in Kelly green as she was named the Highlander Invitational Most Valuable Player after her first three collegiate games at Radford University.
Eastern Kentucky lost both of its All- Atlantic Sun First Team members Sarah Mitchell and Josie Schmittendorf. Mitchell led the Colonels in kills and service aces, while Schmittendorf led EKU in digs. However, Eastern Kentucky returned middle blocker Carson Ledford, who was picked to be a member of the Preseason All-Atlantic Sun Team.
Both teams struggled to pull away early in the match as EKU had a mere 18-16 lead late in the first set. The Colonels were able to turn on the burners and muster up a crucial four-point run that was started by an Emilee Hill kill. Hill ended her night with a triple-double of 16 kills, 31 assists and 21 digs. The six-point deficit after the run proved to be too much for the Herd, and EKU took the first set 25-19.
The second set was neck-and-neck as well, except this time the Herd had the two-point lead late, 20-18. After trading serves and Marshall leading 22-21, EKU went on another late four-point run and picked up its second set victory, 25-22, closing things out with a kill by Carson Ledford. Ledford ended her solid night with eight kills and three errors off 21 attempts, translating to a .238 hitting percentage.
Marshall was in control throughout the third set, 25-18, avoiding the possible Eastern Kentucky sweep. The third set was dominated by the Herd’s pin hitters Geer and Barnett. The two tied for the most kills on the team with 11 on the night, Marae Reilly and Logan Henderson both had 11 kills for the Herd as well.
The Colonels appeared as if they were done messing around and were going to put the Herd away in four as EKU took a 15-8 lead. However, Marshall’s defense picked up behind senior co-caption middle blocker Beatrice Ciccarelli, and the Herd forced a fifth set with a nail-biting 26-24 win. Ciccarelli led all players with an astounding 10 blocks, double that of her teammate Geer, who had the second most in the match with five.
The Thundering Herd came out quick in the fifth and deciding set, jumping out to a 4-1 lead. EKU relied on senior AG Hynes to take the Colonels to victory, who had the most kills of anyone in the match with 19. Hynes got a crucial kill to stop the Marshall momentum, and EKU kicked things into gear to narrowly defeat the Herd 15-13 in the final set.
A fantastic game would be an understatement for what took place at the Cam Henderson Center. This was a battle between two evenly matched, high-quality volleyball teams with Eastern Kentucky able to prevail and come out on top.
Marshall has one day off, then travels to Virginia Tech University for a three-game weekend. The first game for the Herd will be Thursday against the hosting Hokies, first-serve is set for 6 p.m.