VALDOSTA, Ga. --- The Mississippi College volleyball team battled Valdosta State University in the Complex, but came up on the short-end of the outcome as MC (5-9, 3-6 Gulf South Conference) fell in five sets to the Blazers. VSU improved to 11-11 and 3-5 in the conference on Wednesday, Oct. 20.
 
Stevie Nesbit and Lydia Paulette led the offensive charge for the Navy and Gold on the night as the duo totaled 12 kills apiece. The kill total marked a career-high for Nesbit in the contest. Kendall Platt joined the double-digit effort with 11 kills in the five-setter. Lexie Laurendine and Levi Lennard each dished out 20-plus assists in the match. Laurendine led the way with 22 while Lennard matched a career-high with 21 assists.
 
Nesbit also helped lead the charge at the net on the defensive end with a career-high seven total blocks. Lexi Richards added five blocks as the Choctaws totaled 10 on the night. The five rejections was a career-high for Richards as well. Missy Beber paced the squad with 18 digs while Platt added 12.
 
After a tightly-contested, opening set that went extra points, Mississippi College tied the match at one set each with a 25-22 in the second set. MC took a 2-1 lead in the third set by outscoring the Red and Black 25-20.
 
The Choctaws took a 17-13 advantage in the second set, following a four-run, and never relinquished the lead the remainder of the way. The Blazers pulled within one during the set – the last coming at 21-20 – before MC closed out the set with four of the final six points. In the third, MC again used a scoring spurt midway through the set as it grabbed a 16-11 lead behind a 5-0 run.
 
After the Blazers knotted the contest at 2-2, they rode the momentum of the set to grab a 7-1 lead in the deciding set. MC fought back and pulled within a point following a kill from Paulette, but VSU finished with four of the final five points to clinch the match.
 
Mississippi College returns to action on Friday, Oct. 22 at 11:15 a.m. in its first match of the NCAA Division II South Region Crossover. MC opens play against Palm Beach Atlantic before closing out the day against Eckerd College at 6 p.m. in Winter Haven, Fla. Both times are central.
 

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Inside the Boxscore
-Valdosta State has won all 12 meetings in the series. It's just the second time in series history that the two teams have battled to five sets – both coming on the Blazers' home floor.
- Wednesday's tilt marked the fifth, five-set match this season for the Choctaws. MC is now 2-3 on five-set contests.
- Nesbit's previous career-high in kills was nine against Ouachita Baptist earlier this season. Her previous high in blocks came on March 6, 2021 against Alabama-Huntsville. She tied the mark twice following the contest (West Alabama, at Ouachita Baptist).
- Richards previous total came during her freshman season with four against West Florida. She matched the total on Sept. 17, 2021 vs. Arkansas-Monticello.