Wingate University sophomore libero Stephanie Tassone piled up a match-high 25 digs Thursday afternoon against top-ranked and six-time defending national champion Concordia-St. Paul in the NCAA Elite Eight.
Tassone's defensive effort helped the Bulldogs limit the nation's top-ranked team to a hitting percentage of .244, the second lowest hitting percentage of the year for the Golden Bears. Tassone helped the Bulldogs notch 73 digs on the afternoon, the second-highest dig total by a Concordia opponent this season. The Golden Bears faced tough competition all season, facing 20 ranked teams in 2012. With Tassone's defensive efforts, Wingate was able to rally and take the first set against the eventual national champion Golden Bears.
Tassone, who took over the libero spot when Rianne Lang was injured, finished the year third on the team with 3.25 digs per set. She was a key in Wingate's runs in the SAC Tournament and NCAA Regionals, earning All-Tournament honors at both events. Tassone finished the season by notching double-digit digs in her last 13 matches. She averaged 5.2 digs per set during that stretch.
