CLINTON, Miss.- The Valdosta State volleyball team (18-10, 12-6 GSC) dropped its final regular season road match on Saturday afternoon, falling in a four-set loss to Mississippi College in Clinton, Miss. Despite the loss, the Blazers remain in third place in the conference rankings heading into the final weekend of play.
Â
Match Information: Valdosta State at Mississippi College
Score: MC 3, VSU 1 (26-24, 15-25, 22-25, 17-25)
Records: MC (13-13, 11-7 GSC), VSU (18-10, 12-6 GSC)
Location: Clinton, Miss (A.E. Wood Coliseum)
Â
First Set (VSU 26, MC 24)
The Choctaws came out of the gate on fire, racking up seven-straight points to go up big early, 7-1. However, the Blazers stormed on back, rallying for a 6-1 run to pull within two of the MC lead, 8-6. Out of a break, Mississippi College extended its lead, out-scoring the Blazers 7-3 to take a six-point edge, 15-9. With the Choctaws looking to close out the frame, Valdosta State went on a tremendous 7-0 run that included back-to-back aces from senior
Kaia Baker and three kills from seniors
Mackenzie Murray and
Christina Pettigrew to take the lead, 16-15. The set became all tied up at 17-17 before VSU pieced together a 4-0 spurt which included back-to-back service aces from sophomore
Lily Glover, 21-17. The Choctaws raced back on a 4-1 lead to come within one of the VSU lead at 22-21 before the Blazers picked up two-straight points to force set point, 24-21. MC responded with three-straight points to tie up the set at 24-24 before a Choctaw attack error set up a final kill from Murray to seal the set one comeback for the Blazers, 26-24.
Â
Second Set (MC 25, VSU 15)
The second set looked to be a competitive affair with both teams looking to gain an edge early, 5-5. Mississippi College managed to jump out to a lead first, out-scoring Valdosta State 4-1 to go up 10-6. VSU responded back with a 4-1 rally of its own to come within one of MC's lead, 11-10. With the Blazers closing in, Mississippi College responded with a massive 11-2 run to completely take over the set in the blink of an eye, 22-12. Valdosta State managed to tally three more points in the set but it just wasn't enough to overcome the staggering lead as Mississippi College closed out the frame accordingly, 25-15.
Â
Third Set (MC 25, VSU 22)
Mississippi College looked to build off its momentum from the third set early, going up 6-2 in a flash following an ace from Caylin Pixley. Valdosta State managed to make the set a bit more interesting on a 9-6 run to claw at the Choctaws heels, 12-11. The Choctaws looked to advance their lead on a 5-0 run to go up by six, 17-11. However, the Blazers continued to fight back with a gritty 9-4 spurt, capped off by a kill from junior
Katie Callenberger to get back in the set, 21-20. Back-to-back kills from MC's Lydia Paulette put the Choctaws up by three at 23-20 before a service ace slowed their momentum, 23-21. Mississippi College and Valdosta State traded two points back-and-forth with MC forcing set point at 24-22. Rhaia Davey delivered the set-winning kill to take match advantage, 25-22.
Â
Fourth Set (MC 25, VSU 17)
The Choctaws opened the fourth set on a 6-3 run, capped off by a kill from Davey. Back-to-back kills from Pettigrew made it a one-point contest at 6-5 before Mississippi College ran up its lead again on a 7-1 run, 13-6. Later down the stretch, MC maintained its seven-point lead at 16-9 until VSU went on a 5-0 rally to come within two of tying it up, 16-14. With the Blazer offense starting to heat up, the Choctaws slammed the door on VSU on a game-wrecking 7-1 run to go up by eight in a flash, 23-15. Valdosta State tallied two more points to bring the contest back within six at 23-17 before a kill from Paultette and a Pixley service ace sealed the match for the Choctaws, 25-17.
Â
Inside the Numbers:
