HOOVER, Ala. --- The Mississippi College volleyball team stepped out of Gulf South Conference action on Friday, Oct. 14 as it traveled to the Yellowhammer State for the NCAA Division II South Region Crossover against the Sunshine State Conference. The Choctaw (17-3) opened their play in the Finley Center with a straight-set setback to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
 
Caroline Chastang led MC with nine kills in the match followed by Lydia Paulette with seven. Kendall Platt added six kills. Lexie Laurendine directed the offense as she dished out 20 assists and also helped lead the way on the back line with a team-best 13 digs. Julia Sumrall and Sloane FitzHenry paced the effort at the net with two blocks each.
 
After it dropped the opening set 25-15, the Navy and Gold looked to rebound in the second set. A back-and-forth contest in the early moments, ERAU began to distance itself from the Magnolia State institution as it used a 6-1 run to grab a 20-13 advantage. MC closed the gap, but saw itself face set-point at 24-18. The squad fought off the final point with a kill from Missy Beber followed by a service ace from Platt, but Cameron Gilleland delivered the final blow of the set to place ERAU up two sets.
 
Not looking to bow out in three sets, the Navy and Gold opened the third set with an 11-2. A mixture of Platt aces along with kills from Chastang, Laurendine and Sumrall led the way during the scoring run. The Eagles looked to close the gap as they pulled within five points, but a second scoring wave from the Choctaw pushed the margin out to 10 points as Londyn Bakeris served up a pair of aces along with a kill from Paulette and Platt.
 
The Eagles once again began to close the gap and pulled within 23-20 on a serving miscue. The error sparked a 6-0 run to close out the set for the Sunshine State program as it finished the set and match with a 25-23 in the third and picked up its fourth win in the series. The setback marks just the second time this season MC has been swept.
 
Mississippi College looks to rebound as it continues the Crossover on Saturday, Oct. 15 with a pair of matches beginning at 11:15 a.m. The Choctaw open the day with 17th-ranked Barry University before closing out the two-day event against Nova Southeastern University. First serve in the night cap is 7 p.m.
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