MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Mississippi Christian lost to Christian Brothers 3-2 on Tuesday at Canale Arena. The Choctaws won the third and fourth sets 25-17 and 25-20 after dropping the first two, but Christian Brothers took the fifth 15-10.
MC reached set point at 24-23 on a Christian Brothers service error, but Christian Brothers won the next three points to take the first set 26-24. Earlier, the Choctaws opened with the first three points behind a
Meg Paparella kill from
Reese Regner, a block involving
Cydney Mitchell and
Audrianna Green, and a Paparella service ace.
Harper Green added three kills through the middle of the set, while Regner's ace put MC ahead 11-8 and
Samarin Kipple's ace made it 17-14.
Holland Williams later delivered consecutive Choctaws points with kills that made it 22-19 and 23-20, but Christian Brothers answered with two Emma Pomaret kills and an MC attack error to tie the set at 23-23 before closing it out.
The Choctaws' second-set response centered on a push from a 17-9 deficit to 19-17, and they later narrowed the gap to 22-21 before Christian Brothers finished the set 25-22. Earlier,
Mary Grace Foster opened the set with a kill from
Reese Regner, and
Cydney Mitchell helped MC stay close with early kills before Christian Brothers built separation. Mitchell stopped the 17-9 stretch with a kill, then the Choctaws scored four straight points on her serve behind two Foster kills, a
Holland Williams block and a
Harper Green kill to make it 17-14.
Aubrie Lay's kill from
Mamie Fromdahl brought MC within 19-17, and a
Meg Paparella kill followed by a Foster-Mitchell block cut Christian Brothers' lead to 22-21 before the home team closed out the set.
The Blue and Gold won the third set 25-17 by separating late after Christian Brothers got within 18-16. Earlier, MC recovered from a 3-1 deficit to move in front 6-4, with
Meg Paparella,
Cydney Mitchell and
Caroline Downey each supplying kills during that opening response. After Christian Brothers tied the set at 9-9, the Choctaws answered with five straight points to lead 14-9, including back-to-back Paparella kills and a Mitchell kill during
Samarin Kipple's service turn. Christian Brothers later cut the score to 16-14, but Foster delivered kills for two of MC's next three points before
Mamie Fromdahl's kill gave the Choctaws a 19-16 edge. Downey then served five straight MC points, including a service ace, and Paparella's final kill completed the set.
MC erased an 18-15 deficit and closed the fourth set with five straight points to win 25-20. Earlier,
Rylie Widener opened the set with a service ace, and
Cydney Mitchell,
Holland Williams and
Meg Paparella added kills while Christian Brothers moved in front through the middle of the set. Down 18-15, the Choctaws answered with a Downey kill, a
Meg Paparella kill, an
Aubrie Lay-
Holland Williams block and a Downey ace to move ahead 19-18. After Christian Brothers tied the set at 20-20,
Cydney Mitchell's block put MC back in front, Foster followed with three consecutive kills, and Mitchell finished the set with a kill from
Reese Regner.
The Choctaws could not overcome Christian Brothers' mid-set separation in the fifth set, falling 15-10 after the home side turned a 5-3 lead into a 9-3 advantage. Earlier,
Meg Paparella and
Cydney Mitchell had kills to keep MC within reach after two opening aces from Ella LeDoux.
Holland Williams stopped the Christian Brothers run with a kill, and Downey added two kills as the Choctaws continued to answer through the middle of the set. Down 12-6, MC put together three straight points on a Fromdahl kill, a Christian Brothers bad set and an attack error, trimming the margin to 12-9. Paparella added one more kill at 14-9 before Christian Brothers closed the set on a Sarah Helms kill.
Meg Paparella led the Choctaws with 15 kills and 17.0 points, adding six digs, one ace and one solo block.
Cydney Mitchell posted 11 kills, 15.0 points and a team-high five total blocks.
Samarin Kipple collected a team-high 28 digs and added five assists and one ace.
Reese Regner finished with a team-high 27 assists, one ace and four digs.
Up next, MC hosts West Alabama on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 1 p.m. in Clinton, Miss.
