Fort Frye junior libero Hannah Weiker makes a pass from the back row as teammate Jaden Cox looks on during the Cadets' 11-25, 25-22, 25-14 and 25-14 victory versus Marietta on Thursday night inside Sutton Gymnasium. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

MARIETTA — Lindsay Evans and Addie Graham had match-highs of five aces apiece here Thursday evening inside Sutton Gymnasium for host Marietta, but after the Tigers won the opening set 25-11 against Fort Frye the Cadets stormed back to win the dual after taking the next three sets — 25-22, 25-14 and 25-14.

“It wasn’t that they were beating us. We were beating ourselves,” said FFHS head coach Amanda Duskey of the opening set where the Cadets had 10 unforced errors.

While Fort Frye graduated a quartet of starters a year ago, the Tigers of head man Ron Kidder graduated a half dozen who are all playing in college and led MHS to last year’s D3 Sweet 16.

“Our goal is to be at our best by the end of the season,” admitted Kidder, who received a match-high 28 digs from Haley Wilkinson while Adele McCombs, Rylee Wilkinson, Evans and Maevry McCombs led the hitting attack with nine, eight, six and five kills, respectively. “We’re focused on steady growth and building toward something great.”

Tiger sophomore Clara Becker registered the first ace of the match to give the hosts an early 4-1 cushion.

Marietta junior Adele McCombs tips the ball over the double block of Fort Frye's Haven Shilling (11) and Kali Shilling (6) during the Tigers' 11-25, 25-22, 25-14 and 25-14 setback Thursday inside Sutton Gymnasium. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

MHS also had two aces apiece from Evans and Ava Prim, who had 12 assists while Graham produced a baker’s dozen.

An Adele McCombs block of Ella Dowler, who had five kills and six stuffs of her own, had the Cadets doubled up at 18-9 as Prim served out the final four points.

After trailing 12-8 in set two, coach Kidder’s squad pushed ahead 16-14 thanks to an ace from Evans and a Cadet attack error, but Fort Frye tied it at 16-all and then went ahead for good thanks to consecutive aces from Elle Casto, who added 19 assists and finished with three blocks and as many aces.

Jaden Cox, who had 22 digs, toed the service line in set three with FFHS trailing 3-2, but a trio of Tiger unforced errors and then back-to-back Cox aces got the Cadets going as they never looked back.

Fort Frye senior Paige Morgenstern put down one of her match-high 16 kills via one of Aubrie Lang’s match-high 45 assists to put the Tigers in a 2-1 hole.

Fort Frye senior Paige Morgenstern sends an attack across the net as Marietta's Adele McCombs (12) and Karli Schaad (28) go up for a double block during the Cadets' 11-25, 25-22, 25-14 and 25-14 victory Tuesday night at Sutton Gymnasium. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Marietta, which dropped to 1-2 and returns to action at 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 8 at Athens, called timeout after falling behind 5-0 in set four. Kali Shilling had one of her eight downed spikes to make it 6-0, but the Tigers rallied behind the serving of Graham and eventually grabbed a short-lived 7-6 cushion with the help of her three aces.

A Dowler smash tied the set at eight and the Cadets took the lead for good when Casto put one to the floor with libero Hannah Weiker at the service line.

Fort Frye, now 3-1 with a home match set for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday versus Caldwell, received match point thanks to a Casto kill.

“I graduated four and I knew I had a lot of talent coming back though and we’re getting to where we are starting to click,” added coach Duskey, who got three blocks from Haven Shilling.

“I knew we’d be really competitive this year even with the ones that we lost last year. I knew they were just going to get better and stronger. They were younger last year and upper classmen this year, so I was looking forward to it.”

Marietta sophomore Addie Graham served up five aces during the Tigers' 11-25, 25-22, 25-14 and 25-14 setback to Fort Frye on Tuesday night at Sutton Gymnasium. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com