MONTEVALLO, Ala. --- Lydia Paulette reaches a career landmark as the Mississippi College volleyball team dropped a pair of four-set contests on the opening day of the Gulf South Conference-Peach Belt Conference Crossover on the campus of the University of Montevallo on Friday, Sept. 20.
 
Paulette became the second Choctaw to reach the 1,000-kill milestone in the opening match of the day against the University of South Carolina at Aiken. The Tuscaloosa, Ala., native, who totaled a team-best 31 kills during the two matches, reached the benchmark on her second kill of the contest. The senior joins former MC standout, Kendall Platt, who holds the career record for kills at 1,259 during her five-year stint in Clinton.
 
Ellie Foco finished second on the team in total kills with 16. The Baton Rouge, La., native totaled a career-high 10 kills in the night cap against Lander. The sophomore's previous high was seven at Ouachita Baptist University in the season opener.
 
Ali Wiggins led the team in assists as she compiled 45 in the eight sets. In route to the total, the Enterprise, Ala., senior totaled her third match with 24 dimes in the setback to USCA. She added 21 against LU and has recorded 20-plus assists in four of the six matches this season. Caylin Pixley chimed in 20 assists.
 
On the defensive end of the floor, Samarin Kipple paced the squad with 30 digs followed by 21 from Paulette. A quartet of Choctaw picked three-or-more blocks on the day led by Rhaia Davey with five. Julia Sumrall added four while Cydney Mitchell and Paulette supplied three each.
 
The Blue and Gold opened the weekend's action with a 25-21 victory in the opening set, but found itself deadlocked at a set each heading into the third frame against the Pacers. MC held a 10-5 advantage in the third set, but witnessed a 10-1 run hand USCA a 15-11 lead. The Choctaw battled back to draw the deficit to within two points late in the contest, but couldn't overcome the mid-set run. MC, which looked to extend the contest to a deciding set as the two squads exchanged leads, stood one point down, 23-22, following a Pixley kill, but the Pacers grabbed two of the next three points to walk-off with the victory.
 
In the second contest of the day, Lander claimed the opening two frames (25-14, 25-19), but the Choctaw battled back to take the third frame, 25-19, and extend the contest to a fourth set. The Blue and Gold trailed 17-15, but rattled off seven consecutive points, powered by four straight service aces from Felicity Pratt, to grab a 22-17 advantage. The aces tied a career-high for the Piperton, Tenn., native. Foco, Paulette and Sumrall added a kill each down the stretch to garner the win in the third frame.
 
Mississippi College returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 21 as it closes out the Crossover at 10 a.m. against No. 22 Augusta University.