Royals Earn Back-to-Back Wins in Indiana

Royals Earn Back-to-Back Wins in Indiana

The Johnson University Royals Volleyball team enjoyed a successful day at the Knoerle Center in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind., on August 29, 2025, picking up two wins to improve their season record to 5–3. Johnson edged Georgetown University in a five-set thriller before turning around to sweep IU Columbus in straight sets.

Five-Set Battle vs. Georgetown

The Royals opened the day with a gripping 3–2 victory over Georgetown. Johnson came out strong, taking the first two sets 25–14 and 25–23 behind a balanced attack. Georgetown rallied back with wins in the third (25–20) and fourth (25–22) to even the match, forcing a decisive fifth set. The Royals showed poise under pressure, closing out the match 15–12 to secure the win.

Abigail Brown led the charge with 18 kills and 24 digs, showcasing her all-around impact on the match. Kiersten Bell added 12 kills, while setter Hannah Lukey distributed the offense and chipped in two aces. At the net, Caelyn Marshall posted five blocks, and Lily Richards delivered eight service aces to provide crucial momentum.

Sweep of IU Columbus

In the nightcap, Johnson carried its energy into a convincing 3–0 win over IU Columbus (25–19, 25–20, 25–24). The Royals built an early lead with steady offensive pressure and finished strong with a narrow third-set win to complete the sweep.

Brown once again led the attack with 14 kills, supported by Bell and Makiyah Greenlee, who each contributed timely points. On defense, McMahon tallied 11 digs, while Luci Morris and Brown combined for four blocks. Anna Birling added nine digs, and Marshall provided service pressure from the line with multiple aces.

From the Coach

Head Coach Robin Vannoy praised her team's performance across both matches and the growth she's seen early in the season:

"Overall thought – we were pleased how we played today. We had one of our best sets in the first match but had to fight back to win the 5th set to take match 1. In match 2 we jumped out to 7-0 lead and then had to hang on to take the first set. Second and third set could have went either way but I was proud how the girls kept focus to win the match.

In the first match Kiersten Bell was dominant at the net while Marissa McMahon picked up balls left and right. Second match Marissa McMahon continued showing leadership by contributing 22 digs. While Abby Brown and Hannah Lukey had 17 kills respectively.

I knew since our conference play wasn't till September 20th, we needed strong competition to get us ready for conference. These last 3 weeks we have got to see many lineups, got a lot of players in and pushed our players to finish each match strong."

Player's Perspective

Junior outside hitter Ariah Gourley echoed her coach's optimism, highlighting the team's chemistry and resilience:

"I think that we played really well today. We worked really hard not only to score, but to play together. Our team chemistry is getting stronger and stronger every day. I think the more we play together and the more we build our trust in each other, the more successful our season will be!"

Looking Ahead

With two wins on the day, Johnson improves to 5–3 overall and builds momentum heading into the next matchup against Mount Mary tommorrow, August 30. The Royals will look to extend their winning streak while continuing to grow as a unit early in the season.