ORLANDO, Fla. --- The Mississippi College volleyball team rallied to open the NCAA Division II South Region Crossover with a five-set victory over Saint Leo University. The Choctaws (9-9) trailed two sets before rattling off the three sets in the win column in the initial meeting between the two programs.
 
It is the third time this season that the Blue and Gold lagged two sets and assembled a come-from-behind win.
 
The Choctaw used double-digit kill performances to earn the decision as Lydia Paulette paced the squad with 18 kills. It is the 40th time during her career she has notched 10-plus kills and a team-best 16th this season for the Tuscaloosa, Ala., native.
 
Caroline Chastang finished second on the team with 13 kills while Sloane FitzHenry added 11 kills. It marks the 31st career performance for Chastang and the 14th on the season. FitzHenry's effort was one shy of matching her career high and her first double figure total on the campaign.
 
Ali Wiggins and Caylin Pixley directed the offense. Wiggins led the way with a career-high 34 assists – her first time to reach the mark during her time in the Blue and Gold as it bested her previous best of 26 set earlier this season. Pixley dished out 24 dimes – her seventh time to reach the 20 or more effort during her debut season.
 
Defensively, a trio of Choctaws recorded double figure digs led by Londyn Bakeris with a career-high 26. The total surpasses her previous high of 14 at Lee University on Oct. 21, 2022. Chastang followed matched her kill total for the night while Paulette added 12 digs. Three players recorded three blocks or more during the outing as FitzHenry led the wat with five. Mary Grace Foster equaled a season-high with four with Cydney Mitchell and Julia Sumrall pouring in three apiece.
 
Following a narrow setback in the opening set, 28-26, and dropping the second, 25-19, MC responded with back-to-back, identical scores of 25-19 to knot the match at two sets each and send the contest to a deciding set.
 
The Choctaw rode the momentum of the previous two frames as they scored the first three points of the final set behind a kill from FitzHenry and capped by a service ace from Chastang. The Blue and Gold never trailed in the frame. The last MC deficit in the match came in the third with the Lions leading 10-9. The Blue and Gold garnered its largest lead of the set at 8-3 following a Paulette kill, that forced SLU into its first stoppage. MC equaled the five-point advantage three other times during the game before shutting the door with a 15-11 victory.
 
The victory was one of two by a Gulf South Conference member on the day and just the third for the program since its return to Division II. MC's two previous wins came against Nova Southeastern University. The first win in the Crossover came in five sets in 2017 against the Sharks as the Blue and Gold trailed 2-1 before winning sets four and five. The last win came last season as the squad rallied to win the final three frames and knock off NSU in four sets.
 
MC bested the Green and Gold on Friday evening by nine kills and recorded a .250 attack percentage. SLU compiled a .190 swing clip.
 
Mississippi College returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 21 as it competes in the second day of the Crossover. The Choctaws open the day at 11:15 a.m. against third-ranked University of Tampa. They close out the day against Florida Southern College at 6 p.m. central.
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