The Maroon squad took home the victory in Saturday’s volleyball scrimmage in Fant-Ewing Coliseum after facing tough opposition from the Gold.

The volleyball scrimmage was a back-and-forth affair as each team battled to achieve victory in the five-set match.

The Maroon squad came out strong surging to a 10-4 lead in the first set before Gold rallied with an 8-4 run to bring the first set even at 12 each.

Junior outside hitter Hope Pawlik and sophomore right-side Kalena Caruthers set the tone early with six and five kills respectively to see the Gold squad to an early one-set lead.

After falling behind the Maroon squad came back firing in the second to even the match at 1 game apiece.

Junior middle blocker Kaitlyn Shearer began her record setting night for the Maroon squad by landing five kills in the set and leading the squad to a dominating second-set win.

Pawlik shone again in the third set recording a set-high eight kills and giving the advantage back to the Gold squad.

With another dominating performance by Shearer along with five aces the Maroon squad took the fourth set and brought the match back to a 2-2 tie.

The match’s last set was anyone’s for the taking before the Maroon squad pulled away from a 6-6 tie.

Landing five consecutive points the Maroon squad allowed the Gold to have only one more point before taking the set and match in a fury.

Kaitlyn Shear led with a record setting 21 kills followed by Pawlik with 18 and Kalena Caruthers and junior Taylor Zaeske with 12 and 11, respectively. Freshmen Tara Jenkins and sophomore Bayleigh Hoffman each finished the night with double-doubles in assists and digs.

Warhawks volleyball begins the season in Starksville, Miss., for a two-day tournament starting against Jackson State on Friday at 2 p.m. and wrapping up against Mississippi State Saturday at 7 p.m.