JACKSON, Tenn. — Mississippi Christian defeated Union (TN) 3-2 on Tuesday. The Choctaws dropped the first two sets 23-25 and 25-27 before taking the final three 25-21, 25-16, 15-9.
The Choctaws pushed the first set to the final points with a late four-point response, tying Union (TN) at 23-23 before the home side took the last two points for a 25-23 set win. Earlier, the visitors recovered from Union (TN)'s opening point with kills by
Meg Paparella and
Cydney Mitchell, block assists involving
Audrianna Green, Mitchell and
Holland Williams, and a
Caroline Downey kill to move ahead 6-3. MC still led 9-6 after a Paparella kill, but Union (TN) scored six straight points to go in front 12-9. The Blue and Gold continued to answer with kills from Green, Williams,
Mamie Fromdahl, Paparella and
Mary Grace Foster before Union (TN) held an 18-16 edge. After Union (TN) went ahead 23-19,
Samarin Kipple put down a kill, a Union (TN) attack error followed, and Williams and Downey added kills to tie it at 23-23, but Union (TN) closed the set on an MC attack error and a kill.
MC built a 21-17 lead in the second set after trailing 16-15, using kills from
Cydney Mitchell and
Holland Williams along with Union (TN) errors to create separation, but Union (TN) rallied back and won the set 27-25. Earlier, the Choctaws answered a 2-0 start by Union (TN) with a Downey kill, a block by
Holland Williams and Foster, a Fromdahl ace and a Williams kill to move ahead 4-2. The set stayed tight through the middle stages, with
Meg Paparella delivering multiple kills and Mitchell, Fromdahl and
Reese Regner adding points as The Blue and Gold continued to trade leads and ties. After Union (TN) pulled even at 23-23, Downey and Williams each gave MC a set-point chance, but Union (TN) scored the final three points to take the set.
The Choctaws closed the third set by scoring five of the final six points after a 20-20 tie, with
Holland Williams putting the visitors in front,
Meg Paparella and
Cydney Mitchell combining on a block, and Paparella adding a late kill before the 25-21 finish. Earlier, MC had to work back from a 6-2 deficit and later trailed 9-7 before a four-point response moved it ahead 11-9, helped by blocks involving
Aubrie Lay, Williams and Downey. Union (TN) kept the set tight through the middle stages, tying it multiple times, but The Blue and Gold answered with kills from Foster, Downey and Williams to stay in position late. After Union (TN) tied the set at 20-20, MC produced the final separation and took the set, 25-21.
The Blue and Gold won the fourth set 25-16, pulling away with a four-point stretch on Fromdahl's serve that took the set from 11-8 to 15-8 behind a
Holland Williams kill, a Fromdahl ace, a
Cydney Mitchell kill and a Union (TN) attack error. Earlier, after Union (TN) scored the first two points, the Choctaws answered with four straight on
Samarin Kipple's serve, including a Mitchell kill, a Kipple ace and a block by Foster and Mitchell.
Meg Paparella helped MC stay in front through the middle of the set with multiple kills, while Williams added kills at 11-8, 16-10 and 22-15. Downey supplied three kills over the Choctaws' final five points, and a block by Paparella and Williams finished the set at 25-16.
MC broke from a 4-4 tie in the fifth set with four straight points on
Samarin Kipple's serve, including Kipple's ace, a Fromdahl kill from Foster and two Union attack errors for an 8-4 lead. Earlier,
Aubrie Lay opened the set with a kill from
Reese Regner, Downey answered a Union ace with a kill from Kipple, and
Holland Williams tied it at 4-4 with a kill from Fromdahl. After Union (TN) got back within 9-7, The Blue and Gold responded with a Union service error and a
Cydney Mitchell kill from Regner to move ahead 11-7. Mitchell added another kill for 12-8, and Williams delivered the Choctaws' final three points on kills, including back-to-back finishes from Fromdahl assists to close the 15-9 set win.
Holland Williams led MC with 20 kills, hit .667 and added five total blocks for 22.5 points.
Cydney Mitchell finished with 13 kills on a .321 hitting percentage, three block assists and 14.5 points.
Samarin Kipple recorded a team-high 15 digs and added two service aces and five assists. Fromdahl posted a team-best 27 assists, two service aces and three kills.
Up next, the Choctaws volleyball team travels to Huntsville, Ala., to face UAH on Friday, Oct. 2, at 6 p.m.
