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FOR THE RECORD: Marian heads into its season-opening matches at the Saint Mary’s Sugar Loaf Classic on the heels of an 8-23 showing in 2022, including a 4-9 mark in its 13-match NAAC season
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ROAD WARRIORS: Marian played 23 of its 31 matches a year ago on the road. The Sabres compiled a 3-5 mark on their home court, while going 5-18 away from Sadoff Gymnasium in Marian, Wis.
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ON THE ATTACK: Marian finished the year with 1,074 kills in 31 matches (9.68 kps), and boasted four players who collected at least 100 kills. … Kaitlyn Merrill led the Sabres’ charge, hammering out 327 kills (2.95 kps), followed by Riley Shores with 213 (1.95 kps). Serina Pehowski (168) and Jenna Butschlick (103) also reached the 100-kill plateau a year ago. … Merrill recorded 15 matches of 10 or more kills, including a single-match season-high 26 against Governors State on Sept. 23.
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GIVING AN ASSIST: Anna Tapia was an assist machine for the Sabres in 2022, accounting for 742 of the team’s 973 assists. … Tapia dished out 10 or more assists in 30 of the team’s 31 matches, including three matches of 40 of more assists. … Tapia recorded a single-match, season-high 57 assists against Concordia-Chicago on Oct. 7.
• SERVING UP ACES: Marian served up 211 aces in 31 matches last season, and had nine players record at least 10 aces — including three with 30+ aces. Lauren Massie led the Sabres with 39 aces, followed by Tapia with 32 and Merrill with 30.
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DIGGING IT: Reagan Jasica closed out 2022 with a team-best 342 digs, followed by Merrill and Miller with 224 each. Massie (186), Tapia (184), and Reagan Brown (178) also posted more than 100 digs last season. … Jasica led the Sabres with 15 games of 10 or more digs, and posted a single-match season-best 36 digs against Governors State on Sept. 23.
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DOUBLING UP: Tapia racked up five assist/dig double-doubles, while Merrill chipped in five kill/dig double-doubles and Pehowski tallied one kill/dig double-double.
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CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS: Four of Marian’s eight wins a year ago were 3-0 sweeps, while the Sabres also recorded three, four-set wins and one five-setter. On the flip side, 14 of Marian’s 23 losses came in three sets. The Sabres also dropped five, 3-1 decisions, and were beaten in five sets four times. … Marian won back-to-back matches just once — beating Alverno, Luther, and Blackburn between Sept 14 and Sept. 16. … Marian opened the season with eight consecutive losses, and also struggled through a six-match losing streak.
