PENSACOLA, Fla. --- The Mississippi College volleyball team had its six-match, Gulf South Conference win streak snapped as the Choctaw (21-5, 10-3 GSC) fell in straight sets at No. 13 University of West Florida on Friday, Oct. 28.
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The Navy and Gold traveled to the Florida Panhandle looking to gain its first-ever season sweep of the Argonauts. MC topped the conference powerhouse in five sets earlier this season in Clinton.
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Caroline Chastang led the way offensively for the Choctaw with nine kills. Lydia Paulette added seven to finish second on the team while
Kendall Platt supplied six.
Lexie Laurendine and Ali Wiggins shared the load in setting up the offense with a combined 23 assists. Laurendine provided 12 dimes while Wiggins notched 11.
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Defensively, Laurendine and Paulette provided the resistance at the net as the duo recorded four blocks each.
Missy Beber paced the team with 10 digs.
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In the opening set, the Argos jumped out to a 9-3 lead early, but the Navy and Gold chipped away at the deficit and climbed to within a point at 20-19 on a block assist from Laurendine and Paulette. However, UWF responded with a 5-1 run to close out the set 25-20.
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Like the prior set, the Blue and Green took an early advantage, but again the Choctaw rallied and took its first lead of the match at 9-8 behind another block assist from Laurendine and Paulette. The two teams exchanged leads and tie down the stretch with the two-standing deadlocked at 20-all late. UWF once again closed the set down on a run, this time a 5-2 spurt. Paulette and Chastang delivered the last two blows for the Magnolia State institution.
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Riding the momentum from the closure of the second frame, West Florida jumped out early in the third and held the Navy and Gold at bay. MC never pulled within five points in the final set as UWF claimed a 25-16 victory to close out the match.
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The Choctaw, who have booked a spot in the conference tournament, find themselves in third place in the GSC following the action Friday evening. The top eight teams in conference advance to the conference tournament with the top four advancing to the conference's top teams home floor Nov. 11-13. The fifth through eight seeds battle on Monday, Nov. 7 for an opportunity to move on to the quarterfinals with the top four seeds.
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Mississippi College returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 29 as it travels to Montgomery, Ala., to face Auburn University at Montgomery. First serve is at 2 p.m.
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