MAGNOLIA, Ark. --- The Mississippi College volleyball team logged a pair of victories at the Dr. Margaret Downing Invitational on the campus of Southern Arkansas University. MC (5-4) opened the day with a 3-2 win over Grambling State University and toppled the University of Arkansas at Monticello, 3-1, in the nightcap.  

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KEY NOTES vs. GRAMBLING STATE
The win over Grambling State is the first in program history. MC and GSU last met on Oct. 21, 1997 in New Orleans.
 
The five-set victory is the first since the Lady Choctaws outlasted West Georgia in Carrollton, Ga., last season.
 
 Sydney Chandler and Amanda Torres each recorded double-doubles in the match. Chandler garnered her 12th career double-double with 19 assists and 12 digs while Torres picked up her second this season with 16 assists and 10 digs. Torres finished one shy of tying her season-best in assists while tying her season-high in digs. Chandler's dig total surpassed her previous season-high of 10 set against Ohio Valley earlier this season.
 
Krista Zieschang paced MC with 14 kills while Kayana Mitchell posted 11 in the five sets. The 14 kills from Zieschang is one off her career-high. Mitchell also led the defensive effort with a season-high, seven blocks – one shy of equaling her career-best.
 
Julia Martin added 15 digs besting her previous total of 13 set against Loyola (La.) on Tuesday evening. Jill Brown supplied 11 digs in the effort. Brown also added a season-high with three service aces.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Mississippi College opened the match with a 25-20 win in the opening set as the Lady Choctaws, but found itself down 2-1 through three sets. Grambling State posted 25-13 and 25-14 wins in the second and third set respectively to hold a one set advantage.
 
The Lady Choctaws tied the match in the fourth set as it marched out to a 23-15 lead. The Tigers battled back to cut the deficit to 23-19, but the Navy and Gold wouldn't relinquish the lead as MC picked up kills from Zieschang and Mitchell to help close out the set.
 
MC trailed in the early part of the final set, but rallied to tie the contest at 7-all. Back-to-back service aces from Brown gave the Lady Choctaws a 9-7 advantage and sparked an 8-4 run to close out the match and give MC the five-set win.

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KEY NOTES vs. ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO
 
Shelby Grace recorded a career-high with a team-best 15 kills. The Arab, Ala., junior passed her previous best of 14 set against Embry-Riddle last season. Mays also added a season-high 19 digs in the effort.
 
Chandler helped direct the offense as she tied her season-high with 25 assists. The mark equaled her best against William Carey earlier this season.
 
Brown logged a season-high with 25 digs to lead the team. The total surpassed her previous best of 17 set against Lindenwood earlier this season.
 
Autumn Frost collected her first collegiate kills in the match. The Largo, Fla., native finished the match with two in the effort.
 
Madison Kimes added 11 digs.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
MC fell behind early in the opening set as Arkansas-Monticello scored the first, four points and never looked back en route to a 25-16 win. The Lady Choctaws closed the gap to 11-8, but couldn't overcome the early deficit.
 
UAM grabbed a 20-19 lead after the two squads exchanged leads, but back-to-back kills by Zieschang placed MC in front for good in the second set. The Houston, Texas, native, Zieschang, closed out the set with two more kills to close out the set with a 25-23 MC victory.
 
After the two teams stood deadlocked through the first 10 points of the set, MC capitalized on a pair of Cotton Blossom errors to grab 7-5 lead. The Lady Choctaws continued to apply pressure as they grabbed a 15-10 lead. MC never looked back as it earned a 25-22 win.
 
The Lady Choctaws and UAM battled back and forth in the fourth set, including six ties in the final 13 points. The final draw came at 26-all as MC logged a point on a Cotton Blossom attack error and Mays finished off the match with a kill on an assist from Torres to clinch a 28-26 victory and four-set decision.

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NEXT UP
Mississippi College returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 16 as it faces Texas A&M International at 11 a.m. and closes out the tournament against the host Lady Muleriders at 3 p.m.