ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — Mississippi Christian volleyball returns to the road this weekend for its second tournament of the season, traveling to Arkadelphia, Arkansas, for the Reddie-Tiger Invitational and four matches against a challenging field.
The Choctaws enter the weekend 0-4 after facing a demanding opening weekend at the Dallas Classic, where they played four matches against nationally competitive opponents, including No. 7 Nebraska Kearney. Mississippi Christian dropped matches to Biola, Colorado Mesa, Nebraska Kearney and Dallas Baptist, but gained valuable experience against four teams that tested the Choctaws early in the season.
Mississippi Christian will open the weekend Friday at 1 p.m. against Erskine before facing host Ouachita Baptist at 5 p.m. The Choctaws will return to the court Saturday at 9 a.m. against UT Tyler before closing the weekend at 3:30 p.m. against Missouri S&T. All four matches will be played in Arkadelphia.
Senior middle hitter Rhaia Davey and sophomore middle blocker Holland Williams have provided a presence at the net early in the season, while senior Samarin Kipple anchors the defensive effort. Kipple recorded 11 digs in Mississippi Christian's season-opening match against Biola, while Davey and Williams have contributed at the net. Sophomore Aubrie Lay also recorded four blocks against Biola.
The weekend will provide Mississippi Christian with another opportunity to challenge itself against teams from multiple conferences. Erskine enters the weekend 1-2, while Ouachita Baptist is 1-3 after splitting four matches at the McKendree Invitational last weekend.
UT Tyler presents an especially difficult early-season test. The Patriots enter the weekend 4-0 after opening the season with four victories at the SAU Tournament in Magnolia, Arkansas, including wins over Arkansas-Monticello, Central Oklahoma, LeMoyne-Owen and Southern Arkansas. UT Tyler finished 17-12 in 2025 and advanced to the Lone Star Conference Championship semifinals.
Missouri S&T also arrives in Arkadelphia unbeaten at 2-0. The Miners opened the season with wins over Northeastern State and Missouri Southern and enter the weekend hitting .265 as a team while averaging 12.9 kills and 12.1 assists per set. Missouri S&T has also recorded 1.9 service aces and 1.6 blocks per set through its first two matches.
For Mississippi Christian, the weekend represents another chance to build chemistry and find consistency against a varied group of opponents. After opening the year with four matches in two days against teams from three different conferences, the Choctaws will again be tested with four matches packed into a 24-hour span.
The Choctaws will look to turn the experience gained from the Dallas Classic into results in Arkansas as they continue to establish their identity early in the 2026 season.
UP NEXT
Mississippi Christian vs. Erskine
Friday, Sept. 4 | 1 p.m. CT
Arkadelphia, Ark. | Reddie-Tiger Invitational
Live Stats | Live Stream
Mississippi Christian at Ouachita Baptist
Friday, Sept. 4 | 5 p.m. CT
Arkadelphia, Ark. | Reddie-Tiger Invitational
Live Stats | Live Stream
Mississippi Christian vs. UT Tyler
Saturday, Sept. 5 | 9 a.m. CT
Arkadelphia, Ark. | Reddie-Tiger Invitational
Live Stats | Live Stream
Mississippi Christian vs. Missouri S&T
Saturday, Sept. 5 | 3:30 p.m. CT
Arkadelphia, Ark. | Reddie-Tiger Invitational
Live Stats | Live Stream
