ROXANA — A summer of preparation showed early for Marquette Catholic’s girls volleyball program on Tuesday night, Aug. 25, 2026, as the Explorers opened the Roxana Volleyball Tournament in Roxana with two wins and one loss under head coach Emma Deist.
Marquette Catholic began the season with a 25-10, 25-20 win against Southwestern. The Explorers also defeated First Baptist Academy 25-13, 25-16 before losing to Carrollton 25-14, 25-23.
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“I am incredibly proud of how we started,” Coach Deist said. “We started very strong and fast in the first set against Southwestern with a lead of 7-0. Southwestern is always a good team. I thought the girls played great in the loss against Carrollton, and they showed a level of grit I haven't seen in a while. The girls were down 23-6 and rallied and had an eight-point run.”
Deist said the team had “a great summer,” which included successful tournament play in St. Louis and participation in a summer league at East Alton-Wood River. She said she believes that work will pay off as the 2026 season continues.
Deist cited setter Ari Davenport, right-side hitter Reese Bechtold, libero Alex Stephan and defensive specialist Sanaa Young as key contributors to the Explorers’ success Tuesday night.
Marquette Catholic will resume play in the fifth-place bracket of the Roxana Tournament against Greenfield-Northwestern in the first semifinal at 9 a.m.
