CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College volleyball team posted its first straight-sets victory of the season as it topped the University of West Alabama in Gulf South Conference on Friday, Sept. 29 inside A.E. Wood Coliseum.
 
It marks the first sweep since MC (4-8, 3-2 GSC) topped the Tigers on their home floor on Oct. 25, 2022. It is the first straight-set win in A.E. Wood Coliseum since Oct. 8, 2022.
 
Lydia Paulette led the Choctaw with nine kills in the match as she posted a .533 attack percentage – her best clip on the season. Caylin Pixley directed the offense with a team-best 10 assists while Ali Wiggins added eight assists. Defensively, Caroline Chastang and Missy Beber compiled six digs apiece while Julia Sumrall led the charge at the net with two blocks.
 
MC tallied 25 kills in the match and added 11 service aces, which tied a season-high set at Augusta University on Sept. 16.
 
The Choctaws jumped out early in the first set as it took a 10-4 advantage behind back-to-back attack errors, which forced the Red and White into its first timeout of the set. The lead continued to swell as the Blue and Gold grabbed a 16-9 advantage et on a Wiggins' ace, that led the to Tigers using their second stop on the frame. The largest lead of the set came on a Sloane FitzHenry ace that iced the set at 25-17.
 
Much like the opening set, MC jumped out to an early lead, but the Tigers responded at knotted the contest at 10-all. A 7-1 run broke the stalemate and back-to-back kills from Chastang and Mary Grace Foster placed the homestand Choctaw in front 17-11. The Red and White didn't draw closer as a block assist from Paulette and Sumrall closed out the frame at 25-17.
 
In the third, the Choctaw hit the accelerator and never went to the brake as they grabbed a 15-5 advantage on an ace from Londyn Bakeris. It was one of five for the Blue and Gold during the frame as MC rode the quintet to a 25-10, match-clinching victory.
 
Jaida Alvin paced the Tigers with six kills in the loss as Berfin Mertcan dished out 15 of the squad's 16 assists.
 
The Choctaw hit .250 as a squad in the three sets, including a .312 clip in the final frame. UWA compiled an -.076-attack percentage – the worst for the team this season and its second time in the negative. It also marked a season-low the Choctaw opposition this season as it surpassed a .106 percentage from Auburn University at Montgomery.
 
Mississippi College returns to action on Tuesday, Oct. 3 as it travels to Montgomery, Ala., for GSC play against Auburn Montgomery. It marks the second meeting between the two programs as the Blue and Gold topped the Warhawks in four sets earlier this season in Clinton. First serve is at 6 p.m.
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