CLINTON, Miss. — Mississippi Christian lost to USC Aiken 3-2 on Friday at A.E. Wood Coliseum. The Choctaws took the fourth set 25-21 after moving from a 12-11 deficit to a 16-13 lead, but the late push was not enough to overcome USC Aiken.
MC used early service pressure and late serving from
Reese Regner to take the first set from USC Aiken, 25-18. Earlier,
Mary Grace Foster answered the opening point with a kill from
Samarin Kipple, then
Meg Paparella served four straight points as The Blue and Gold moved from 1-1 to 5-1 behind two Foster kills, a USC Aiken setting error and an ace. The Choctaws continued to find points from multiple hitters, including
Aubrie Lay, Paparella,
Caroline Downey,
Audrianna Green and
Cydney Mitchell, while
Mamie Fromdahl and Paparella each factored into blocks that helped stop USC Aiken responses. After USC Aiken cut into the margin at 16-10 and later 21-18, MC closed the set with Regner serving the final three points, including a Paparella kill, Regner's second ace of the set and a USC Aiken attack error.
The Blue and Gold cut a 10-3 deficit to 11-9 in the second set, including four straight points with
Rylie Widener serving and a
Cydney Mitchell block contributing to the push. Earlier in the set,
Meg Paparella, Foster and Downey supplied kills as the Choctaws worked to answer USC Aiken's early separation. MC continued to stay within reach through the middle of the set, getting an
Aubrie Lay kill to make it 14-13 and later back-to-back Downey kills followed by a Fromdahl service ace to close to 18-17. USC Aiken moved back ahead 22-17, but The Blue and Gold responded with a Mitchell block, an
Audrianna Green kill, a Mitchell kill and a late Lay kill before USC Aiken finished the set, 25-22.
The Choctaws worked back from a 10-4 deficit in the third set, using kills from Foster,
Rhaia Davey,
Meg Paparella and
Aubrie Lay, along with a Paparella block, to get within 14-12. Earlier, MC opened with the first two points on a USC Aiken attack error and a Paparella kill from
Samarin Kipple before USC Aiken answered to move ahead. The Blue and Gold stayed within range after that push, trimming the margin to 15-14 on consecutive USC Aiken attack errors and later getting a Davey kill to make it 16-15. USC Aiken responded with a stretch that moved the score to 22-17, and the Choctaws added late kills from
Audrianna Green and Lay before dropping the set 25-19.
MC turned a 12-10 deficit into an 18-13 lead by winning eight of nine rallies in the middle of the fourth set, then held off USC Aiken for a 25-21 set win. Earlier,
Audrianna Green converted a
Reese Regner assist,
Aubrie Lay and
Rhaia Davey added kills, and
Meg Paparella's block helped The Blue and Gold stay within 12-10 despite USC Aiken moving in front. The surge began with a Paparella kill from Fromdahl and continued through Regner's serve, as Paparella added another kill and USC Aiken committed three attack errors before Chloe Duzenack stopped the stretch at 15-13. Paparella answered with a kill from Regner, Lay was credited with a block on an Olivia Miller attack error, and Downey later put away a
Samarin Kipple assist to keep the Choctaws ahead 20-18 after USC Aiken had narrowed the margin. Davey gave MC set point with a kill from Fromdahl, and Foster finished the set on another Fromdahl assist.
The Blue and Gold led 13-11 in the fifth set after a USC Aiken service error, but USC Aiken scored the final four points to take the set 15-13. Earlier, Foster opened the set with a kill from
Samarin Kipple,
Meg Paparella added a kill from Fromdahl, and Paparella later served an ace as the Choctaws moved in front 6-4.
Rhaia Davey was involved in several middle-set points, assisting on a block for an 8-7 edge and adding three kills from Fromdahl as MC went ahead 10-8 and later 11-10. After The Blue and Gold reached 13 points, USC Aiken answered with kills by Rusne Radaviciute and a block-assisted point before an error and a service ace finished the set.
Meg Paparella finished with 16 points, recording 11 kills, 12 digs, two aces and three solo blocks.
Samarin Kipple collected 28 digs and added seven assists. Foster led the Choctaws with 12 kills on 41 attacks. Fromdahl posted 21 assists, nine digs, one ace and one solo block.
Up next, MC hosts Augusta on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 2 p.m. in Clinton, Miss.
