ORLANDO, Fla. --- The Mississippi College volleyball team closed out the NCAA Division II South Region Crossover with a pair of setbacks on Saturday, Oct. 21. MC (9-11) fell in three sets to the third-ranked University of Tampa and finished the day with a four-set decision to Florida Southern College.
 
Lydia Paulette paced the Choctaw for the day as she totaled 35 kills, including a career-high and school-record 24 in the night cap against FSC. The Tuscaloosa, Ala., native finished the two-day event with a Crossover-high 53 kills as she finished tied with Barry University's Diana Akopova. Paulette finished with 4.42 kills per set.
 
Carolina Chastang Cydney Mitchell compiled double figure kills for the day as well. Chastang finished with 14 over the seven sets while Mitchell added 11. Ali Wiggins guided the offensive effort with 36 assists while Caylin Pixley dished out 28. Chastang added seven service aces to lead the team while Pixley supplied five.
 
Defensively, Londyn Bakeris notched a team-best 34 digs with 18 coming from Chastang. Mitchell and Julia Sumrall led the effort at the net. Sumrall tallied six blocks during the two matches with five coming from Mitchell.
 
The Blue and Gold fell behind two sets in the final contest of the day, but rallied to extend the match to four sets following a 25-16 win in the third frame. Standing deadlocked at 11-all in the set, the Choctaw went on a 5-0 run to garner a 16-11 advantage. The Mocs broke the run, but MC responded with another scoring burst to extend its lead to eight points. The Choctaw closed the frame on a 14-5 run following the stalemate midway through the game.
 
The two teams exchanged lead changes and ties in the early part of set four, but the Red and Blue gained the upper hand at 15-11 and forced the Choctaw to a timeout. MC came out of the stoppage with three quick points to pull within a point, but it was the closest the visitors from the Magnolia State pulled the remainder of the way as FSC claimed a match-clinching 25-18 victory.
 
In the opening match of the day, the Blue and Gold held early advantages in all three frames, but bursts by the nationally-ranked Spartans landed them in front in each set. MC held as much as a seven-point lead, which forced UT to burn its second timeout of the set. However, undefeated Tampa answered with an 8-2 run to knot the outing at 23-all. MC forced a 24-24 stalemate, but the Red and Black used a serving miscue and a Mackenzie Dufresne kill to close out the set and match at 26-24.
 
MC was one of five programs from the Gulf South Conference to land a victory during the 33-match slate with no conference member winning multiple matches.
 
Mississippi College returns to action on Wednesday, Oct. 25 as it hosts the University of Alabama in Huntsville. First serve of the Gulf South Conference contest is 6 p.m.
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