CLINTON, Miss. — Mississippi Christian lost to Flagler 3-2 on Thursday, falling 22-25, 25-19, 22-25, 25-19, 9-15 at A.E. Wood Coliseum. The Choctaws finished with 12 total blocks and 80 digs while hitting .114, just ahead of Flagler's .112 percentage in the five-set match.
The Choctaws' biggest push came after Flagler built a 16-10 lead, as the home side answered with five straight points to get within 16-15 behind a
Caroline Downey kill, two
Mary Grace Foster kills and pressure from
Samarin Kipple's serve. Earlier,
Isabella Reyes' serve helped MC take the first two points, with Foster putting away a
Reese Regner set, before Flagler moved in front during the early part of the set. After Flagler stretched the margin back to 19-15, the Blue and Gold pulled even at 19-19, with
Audrianna Green putting down a kill from
Mamie Fromdahl amid three Flagler attack errors. Downey, Green and Reyes each added late kills to keep the Choctaws within range, but Flagler closed the set on a Mar'ley Phillips kill for a 25-22 finish.
The Choctaws put away the second set by answering a late Flagler push, moving from 20-18 to 23-18 on a service error,
Meg Paparella's ace and Downey's kill before closing the 25-19 set on Foster's kill and a Flagler attack error. Earlier, MC gained separation from an 8-6 edge as
Reese Regner served through three straight points, with Foster and Paparella adding kills in that stretch. Flagler cut a 14-10 margin to 14-13, but the Choctaws responded with a service error, a Paparella kill set by
Samarin Kipple and another Flagler setting error to restore breathing room at 17-13. Downey, Foster, Paparella,
Cydney Mitchell and
Audrianna Green all contributed kills in the set as the Blue and Gold finished with the six-point win.
The Blue and Gold turned a 12-12 tie into a 16-12 lead with
Meg Paparella serving, getting a Foster block, a Flagler setting error, a
Holland Williams block and another Foster block. Earlier, MC answered a 6-4 deficit by winning six of the next seven points to move ahead 10-7, with
Samarin Kipple and
Cydney Mitchell kills, an
Audrianna Green block and Flagler errors contributing to the swing. After the Choctaws still led 18-16 on a Flagler service error, Flagler scored five straight points to move in front 21-18.
Cydney Mitchell answered with back-to-back kills, and
Audrianna Green later made it 22-21 before MC got within 23-22 on a Flagler service error, but Flagler finished the set 25-22.
The Choctaws created separation in the fourth set by winning seven of eight rallies from a 6-3 lead to move ahead 13-4, with
Audrianna Green adding a kill and
Aubrie Lay and Foster contributing blocks during that stretch. Earlier, MC opened the set with four straight points, including a
Meg Paparella kill from Foster, a Paparella service ace and a Downey kill from
Reese Regner. After Flagler closed the gap to 16-10, the Blue and Gold answered with a Paparella block followed by kills from Foster and Downey to push the score to 19-10. Flagler made a late push to 23-19, but the Choctaws reached set point on a Flagler attack error before Paparella finished the 25-19 set win with a kill from Fromdahl.
MC scored first in the fifth set on a
Meg Paparella kill from
Reese Regner, but Flagler answered with the next three points and later built a 6-2 lead. The home side continued to side out through kills from Paparella,
Aubrie Lay and Downey, with Regner and Fromdahl providing assists during that stretch. After falling behind 12-6, the Choctaws took advantage of a Flagler service error and followed with a Regner ace to move within 12-8. Paparella added another kill to make it 13-9, but Flagler scored the final two points to take the set 15-9.
Downey led the Choctaws with 12 kills while hitting .310. Foster finished with nine kills, four solo blocks and 13.0 points.
Samarin Kipple collected 20 digs and added seven assists.
Reese Regner recorded 19 assists, 18 digs and two service aces.
Up next, MC volleyball hosts USCA on Friday, Sept. 11, at noon in Clinton, Miss.
