Box Score

Brevard, N.C.----The 24th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs swept the Tornados of Brevard College 3-0 in South Atlantic Conference volleyball action Wednesday night. Wingate won by scores of 25-18, 29-27 and 25-18 to improve to 25-1 overall and 12-0 in the SAC. The Bulldogs have now won 42 consecutive SAC matches. Brevard falls to 11-11 overall and 1-10 in the conference.

Junior outside hitter Lauren Billo (Orland Park, Ill.) led the Wingate attack with 16 kills while hitting .438. Junior middle blocker Stormi Gale (Richmond, Texas) added 11 kills, seven digs, three blocks and two assists, while senior outside hitter Jacki Emmenecker (Perrysburg, Ohio) chipped in with nine kills. Sophomore setter Liz Willis (Raleigh, N.C.) handed out 26 assists to go along with eight digs and three kills. Sophomore libero Maggie Malone (Chicago, Ill.) collected a match-high 13 digs.

Sophomore outside hitter Chelsea Larsen (Greer, S.C.) led the Brevard attack with 14 kills to go along with eight digs. Senior middle hitter Brooke Seaman (Spring Hill, Fla.) added six kills for the Tornados. Freshman setter Bethany Stevenson (Pratville, Ala.) handed out 27 assists, while senior defensive specialist Cori Emory (Boiling Springs, S.C.) collected nine digs.

A 3-0 run, sparked by kills from Willis and Emmenecker, put Wingate on top 17-12 in the first set. Another 3-0 run, capped by a kill from junior middle blocker Rebecca Bloemer (Louisville, Ky.) made it 21-14. A kill from freshman middle blocker Grace Krauser (Louisville, Ky.) finished the first set.

A kill from Larsen gave the Tornados a 13-11 lead in the second set. Gale tied the set at 13 with a kill. A kill from Stevenson, followed by a Wingate error gave Brevard a 20-17 advantage. A kill from Billo, followed by an ace from Malone and Brevard error tied it at 21. A pair of Wingate errors gave the Tornados a 23-21 lead. The Bulldogs had the answer, getting kills from Krauser, Gale and Emmenecker to take a 24-23 lead. The Tornados fought back to take a 25-24 lead on a Seaman kill. The Bulldogs took a 28-27 lead on a Billo kill. They would go to Billo again for the final point and a 29-27 win.

A kill from Gale gave the Bulldogs a 13-8 lead in the third set. Brevard cut it to two on a kill from Larsen. A kill from Billo made it 17-12. A kill from freshman outside hitter Katie Handy (Palos Verdes, Calif.) made it 23-15. Gale finished the match with a kill.

The Bulldogs hit .271 for the match, racking up 54 kills against 18 errors in 133 attacks. Brevard had 35 kills against 15 errors in 106 attacks for a .189 hitting percentage. The Bulldogs had four aces on the night, led by Malone with two.

The Bulldogs are back in action Saturday, traveling to the Lander Invitational. Wingate will take on Lander at 11 a.m. and Francis Marion at 5 p.m. Brevard will host Catawba Saturday at 2 p.m.