LIVINGSTON, Ala. --- The Mississippi College volleyball team won its third straight Gulf South Conference match to wrap up the 2023 regular season as it heads into the conference tournament next week following a four-set victory over the University of West Alabama on Saturday, Nov. 11. MC improved to 12-14 on the season and 10-6 in the conference. UWA concludes its campaign at 5-25 and 2-14 in the league.
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The win gives the Choctaws (12-14, 10-6 GSC) their 10th consecutive over the Tigers and knotted the series at 17-all.
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With the victory, the Blue and Gold clinch the six-seed in the GSC Tournament as they open play on Tuesday, Nov. 14 in the first round against seven-seeded Lee University. First serve is at 6 p.m. in A.E. Wood Coliseum. Tickets gone on sale on Monday, Nov. 12 at
www.GoChoctaws.com/tickets.
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The Blue and Gold's offensive effort was spurred by the quartet of
Lydia Paulette,
Sloane FitzHenry,
Mary Grace Foster and
Caroline Chastang. Paulette paced the squad with nine kills while FitzHenry and Foster added eight apiece to finish tied for second on the team. Chastang capped the unit with seven kills. Nine Choctaws recorded kills in the match.
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Caylin Pixley and
Ali Wiggins piloted the offense with a combined 35 of the team's 38 assists in the match. Pixley led the way with 19 dimes while Wiggins added 16.
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Paulette and
Rhaia Davey led the charge at the net with four blocks each while
Julia Sumrall added three.
Londyn Bakeris assisted on the defensive end as she led the team with 17 digs.
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The two teams stood in a stalemate following the first two sets, but the Choctaws took a 2-1 advantage as they blistered the Red and White coming out of the intermission, 25-6. MC posted a .318 attack percentage during the frame. Paulette led the team during the set with four of the team's 10 kills as she posted a .375 attack clip during the set.
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The Tigers attempted to send to the contest to a fifth and deciding set early in the fourth as they held an 18-15 advantage and led the Blue and Gold to burn a timeout. However, MC responded out the stoppage and knotted the contest at 18-all following a Foster kill. The Blue and Gold regained the lead on a solo block from Davey and never looked back en route to a 25-20, match-clinching victory. MC closed the frame on a 10-2 run and posted its second straight .300 attack percentage of the night with a .308 clip in the final frame.
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Ally Craig led West Alabama with 10 kills as the team posted a .056 attack percentage for the four-setter. UWA finished the contest with 31 kills. MC hit .206 for the contest as it totaled 41 kills.
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The GSC Tournament berth is the fourth consecutive for the Choctaws and the 14th for the program, which is the sixth most among current members.
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