NorthWood volleyball secures 3-1 comeback victory over Marian
Senior Ella Branham’s 21 kills and 15 digs anchored a late surge that saw NorthWood overcome a second-set deficit to defeat host Marian in a Class 3A clash.
NorthWood volleyball has established a 2-0 start to the season after defeating host Marian 3-1 in a Class 3A match on Thursday, 20 August 2026. The victory was secured in steamy conditions on the Demetrius Jackson Court at Marian High School, with the Panthers prevailing in the final set 26-24 after a hard-fought contest.
The match featured a significant turnaround in the second set, where NorthWood trailed 18-10 before rallying to win 27-25. Coach Hilary Laidig cited a focused approach on defensive intensity, a strategy implemented following a subpar defensive showing in the team’s 3-0 season-opening win over East Noble on 17 August. Laidig took a timeout when the team was down 17-9, a tactical pause that shifted the momentum in NorthWood’s favour.
Senior outside hitter Ella Branham was the primary catalyst for the comeback, recording 21 kills and 15 digs. Her performance was supported by junior libero Nola Nephew, whose defensive contributions helped stabilise the team during the critical second set. The Panthers also benefited from a strong blocking effort, with senior middle Krystal Hershberger and senior opposite Addison Davis combining for 13 blocks, many of which were directed against Marian junior star hitter Elle Boser.
The final set remained competitive until the closing stages. Marian led 19-14 at one point, but NorthWood mounted a sustained rally. With the score at 24-22 in favour of the hosts, Davis recorded a key block to level the match at 24-24. Branham subsequently delivered a kill off a Marian block attempt, and a Marian error provided the final two points to seal the victory.
This result extends NorthWood’s recent success against Marian, a team they defeated 3-2 in the 2025 semi-state semifinal. The Panthers reached the semi-state for the fourth consecutive year in 2025 but ultimately lost the title match 3-1 to Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger. The 20 August match serves as a significant early-season benchmark for both Class 3A heavyweights in the South Bend area.
Branham noted that the team’s ability to reset under pressure was crucial to the win. “I do feel pressure, but that drives me,” she said. “I just want to be cool, calm and collected and do the best I can for my team. I just think that we were calm when we got down. We reset and then we got the momentum from there.”
