PENSACOLA, Fla. --- The Mississippi College volleyball team dropped its two contests in the final day of the Springhill Suites Invitational hosted by the University on West Florida on Saturday, Sept. 2. The Choctaws (0-3) fell in straight sets to Oklahoma Baptist University to open the day and stumbled in four sets to Spring Hill College to cap the two-day event.
 
Lydia Paulette paced the Blue and Gold as she totaled 35 kills in the seven sets of action, including a career-high 21 in the four-set outcome against SHC. The Tuscaloosa, Ala., native's previous high was 19 kills set against Nova Southeastern on Oct. 15, 2022 and equaled last night in the five-set thriller against Wheeling University.
 
The junior garnered 54 kills over the weekend to earn all-tournament laurels. She posted a .254 clip in the three matches as she averaged 4.5 kills per set. She was one of six players from the Invitational named to be named to the team. She added 21 digs and garnered four total blocks – tied for second most on the team on the day.
 
Caylin Pixley and Ali Wiggins helped direct the offense as they each dished out 37 assists in the two contests. Pixley led the way in the four-setter against SHC with 20 assists while Wiggins paced the squad with 19 in the setback to open the day.
 
Three players gathered 20-plus digs on the day, led by Missy Beber with 25. Caroline Chastang added 23. Julia Sumrall assisted in the defensive efforts with five blocks while Sloane FitzHenry joined Paulette with four rejections.
 
Despite falling in straight sets to the Bison to open the day, MC battled to within a point in the final two sets of the match. In the second set, the Choctaw held off set-point in consecutive rallies as Paulette and Sumrall each provided a kill before the Green and Gold picked up a kill from Avery Hellmuth to cinch the set.
 
In the third, the Blue and Gold delayed match-point as Maci Langford served the ball for OBU, but Sumrall delivered a put-away to pull the Choctaw to within 24-23, but an attack miscue clinched the set and match for the Bison.
 
In the second contest of the day, the Badgers logged 25-20 and 25-23 wins to take an early advantage. MC battled back in the third set to extend the contest to four sets following a 25-21 victory in the frame. Trailing early in the fourth, the Choctaw rallied to knot the contest at 19-all behind a set error by the Badgers. The mistake opened the door for the Blue and Gold to rattle off six of the final eight points of the set.
 
The Purple and Gray took an early lead in the fourth set, but the Choctaw strung together a 4-0 run late to clip the deficit to 22-19 behind kills from Paulette, Chastang and FitzHenry off dimes from Pixley. However, the Badgers halted the rally and finished with three straight kills to ice the match.
 
Mary Grace Foster and Meg Paparella made their debuts in the Blue and Gold in the match against Spring Hill.  
 
Mississippi College returns to action on Tuesday, Sept. 12 as it returns to Mobile, Ala., to face Spring Hill for the second time this season. First serve is 6 p.m. at Arthur R. Outlaw Recreational Center.
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