Bulldogs lose nailbiter

PERKINSTON — Mississippi Gulf Coast rebounded from one of its worst starts to a match Monday night to play some of its best volleyball of the season, but the Bulldogs couldn't close it out in a heartbreaking five-set loss to Itawamba at Dantzler Arena.

ICC won 25-15, 19-25, 23-25, 25-23, 15-13 to jump past Gulf Coast in the MACCC standings. The Bulldogs are now 13-12 overall, 5-7 in the conference. Itawamba is 14-12, 6-7.

Gulf Coast trailed 19-5 at one point in the opening set but started playing better down the stretch. In the second set, the Bulldogs led 21-9 at one point and cruised.

The final three sets were nailbiters. Gulf Coast led by as many as six in the third set on the way to a 2-1 lead, but it couldn't hold a five-point edge in the fourth.

The Bulldogs fought off three match points in the final set before falling.

Malorie Gaughf (Fr., Gulfport/Harrison Central) and Mariah Hammond (Fr., Slidell, La./Northshore) led Gulf Coast with 14 kills each. Gaughf had three blocks, and Sydney Tague (Fr., Olive Branch/DeSoto Central) had 31 assists. Cambell Herrington (Fr., Brandon/Brandon) had 25 digs.

Gulf Coast travels to Decatur on Wednesday to play at East Central. The match will start at 6:30 p.m. and be streamed at https://www.eccclive.com/.

For more information on MGCCC's 12 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.