MAGNOLIA, Ark. --- The Mississippi College volleyball team finished the final day of the Dr. Margaret Downing Invitational with a split. MC (6-5) claimed a straight set win over Texas A&M International to open the day, but fell in four sets to the host Southern Arkansas in the final match. The Lady Choctaws finished the two-day, Invite with a 3-1 record.
KEY NOTES vs. TEXAS A&M INTERNANTIONAL
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Shelby Grace Mays and
Ashton King paced the Lady Choctaws with 10 kills each while
Sydney Chandler and
Amanda Torres directed the offensive effort. Chandler finished with 23 assists while Torres dished out 15.
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Jill Brown direct the defensive effort with 18 digs in the straight sets win.
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Madison Frazier posted a nine kills to match her season-high.
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The meeting against Texas A&M International is the first in program history.
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HOW IT HAPPENED
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MC dominated the match from the beginning as it doubled up the Dustdevils 16-8 midway through the set. The Lady Choctaws pushed the lead out to 23-11 and used a pair of Frazier kills to clinch the set 25-13.
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The Navy and Gold rallied in the second set after trailing midway through the set. MC knotted the contest at 20-all as it capitalized on TAMI errors. A service ace from Chandler along with a kills from Mays and King helped place the Navy and Gold up 24-20. The Dustdevils clipped the advantage to 24-22, but a service error cut short the rally.
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MC overpowered TAMI in the final set as the Lady Choctaws posted a double-digit lead, 20-10, en route to 25-15 match-clinching, set.
KEY NOTES vs. SOUTHERN ARKANSAS
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Torres and Mays each notched a double-double in the four-set match. Mays collected her seventh career double-double in the match with 10 kills and 12 digs. The Arab, Ala., junior has six double-doubles this season. The double-double for Torres is her second of the season. The San Juan Puerto Rico, product recorded 11 assists and 10 digs.
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Chandler added a team-best 18 assists in the setback while
Kayana Mitchell added a team-leading five blocks in the setback.
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HOW IT HAPPENED
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After falling in the first set 25-21, MC rallied for a 25-22 win in the second set. The Lady Choctaws took their first lead of the second set as it capitalized on a SAU error to grab a 17-16 advantage. After the Lady Muleriders knotted the contest at 17-all, MC claimed possession of the set for good on a two King kills to push the advantage to 19-17.
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After a back and forth beginning to the third set, SAU doubled up the Navy and Gold at 14-7 and never looked back as it closed the set out on an 11-2 run to take control of the match at 2-1.
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The Lady Muleriders opened the final set on a 5-1 run, but witnessed MC attempt to knot the contest at two matches each as it cut the deficit to within a point on a couple of occasions. However, the Lady Muleriders wouldn't relinquish the lead and closed the match out with a 25-20 win in the final set.
NEXT UP
Mississippi College returns to action on Tuesday, Sept. 19 as it opens Gulf South Conference play against Auburn University-Montgomery. Match time is slated for 6 p.m.
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