Box Score
Wingate, N.C.----For the second time this season, the Wingate University Bulldogs found themselves in an 0-2 hole after two sets. And like the previous match against Flagler, the Bulldogs staged a dramatic comeback, winning 3-2 over Carson-Newman College in South Atlantic Conference volleyball action Friday night in Cuddy Arena. Wingate improves to 30-1 on the year and 15-0 in the SAC. The Bulldogs prevailed by scores of 23-25, 18-25, 25-21, 25-21, 17-15 to notch their 18th straight win this year and 45th consecutive SAC victory.
The Bulldogs are the number 23 team in the AVCA NCAA Division II top 25 poll, and the top-ranked team in the Southeast Region. The Bulldogs have won 74 of their last 76 regular season matches, and 94 of their last 99 overall. Carson-Newman falls 19-8 overall and 11-4 in the SAC.
Junior middle blocker Stormi Gale (Richmond, Texas) led the Wingate attack with 19 kills, 12 digs, six blocks and three aces. Junior outside hitter Lauren Billo (Orland Park, Ill.) added 17 kills while senior outside hitter Jacki Emmenecker (Perrysburg, Ohio) chipped in with 12 kills and six blocks. Sophomore setter Liz Willis (Raleigh, N.C.) handed out 31 assists, while junior setter Amanda Clark (Timberlake, N.C.) had 21 assists and 10 digs. Sophomore libero Maggie Malone(Chicago, Ill.) collected 29 digs, while senior defensive specialist Chelsea Cancelliere (Richboro, Pa) added a season-high 20 digs.
“This was a match that easily could have been a loss, but somehow we managed to get out with a win,” head coach Shelton Collier says. “At one point, it looked like we would be losing 0-3, but we did have a pretty amazing comeback and a very rewarding victory.”
Senior outside hitter Jessica Schachleiter (Cincinnati, Ohio) led the Carson-Newman attack with 15 kills to go along with 13 digs. Junior outside hitter Carly Mozgai (Greensboro, N.C.) and sophomore middle hitter Nikki James (Cookeville, Tenn.) added 10 kills each. Senior setter Stephanie Cutter (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) racked up 23 assists and 25 digs, while freshman defensive specialist Mackenzie Tyree (Daleville, Va.) added 20 digs for the Eagles.
The Bulldogs took a 13-8 lead in the first set on a kill from junior middle blocker Rebecca Bloemer (Louisville, Ky.). The Eagles fought back to tie the frame at 17 on a kill from James. Carson-Newman took a 20-19 lead on a kill from Mozgai. Wingate responded with three consecutive points, capped by a Billo kill to make it 22-20. The Eagles answered with three straight points, getting two Wingate errors along with an ace from Mozgai to make it 23-22. With the set tied at 23, Clark notched a kill to make it 24-23. Clark and senior middle blocker Jessica Brady (Fruitland Park, Fla.) followed with a block to cap the set.
Carson-Newman jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the second set, capped by a pair of Wingate errors. A Cutter kill, along with Wingate error gave the Eagles a 14-10 advantage. The Bulldogs cut the lead to one at 19-18 on a kill from Gale. Carson-Newman had the answer, getting kills from James and Mozgai, along with a Wingate error to make it 22-18. Carson-Newman would score the final three points of the set, capped by a Mozgai kill.
Wingate came out hot in the third frame, taking a 13-5 lead on three straight kills from Billo. Another Billo kill, followed by a block from Billo and Bloemer gave the Bulldogs an 18-7 lead. The Eagles fought back again, cutting the deficit to 19-17 on a kill from Schachleiter. A Gale kill, followed by Carson-Newman error put Wingate on top 22-18. The Eagles cut the lead to 23-21 on a Bulldog error. A Willis kill made it 24-21; Gale finished the set with an ace.
The Bulldogs once again got off to a hot start in the fourth set, taking an 11-6 lead on a kill from Emmenecker. A 3-0 run, sparked by two Billo kills along with an ace from Clark made it 17-10. The Eagles used a 3-0 run to cut the score to 22-16 on a block. Gale answered with a kill to push the lead to seven. Consecutive Shachleiter kills got the Eagles within three at 24-21. Gale again had the answer, slamming home a kill to finish the set.
The fifth set started with Carson-Newman taking a 4-0 lead, thanks to a kill and a block from freshman middle blocker Jasmine Clark (Pelham, Ala.). A Billo kill cut the deficit to 5-3. Wingate would use a 3-0 run to tie the set at seven. Bloemer started the spurt with a kill, while Emmenecker and Gale capped it with a block. No team would lead by more than two the rest of the way.
A Bloemer kill gave the Bulldogs a 13-12 lead. Carson-Newman answered with back-to-back Shachleiter kills to take a 14-13 lead and serve for the match. Wingate answered with a kill from Emmenecker to tie it. Another Shachleiter kill gave the Eagles another serve for the match. This time, the Bulldogs turned to freshman middle blocker Grace Krauser (Louisville, Ky.), who notched a huge kill to tie it at 15. Another block from Gale and Emmenecker put Wingate on top 16-15. The Bulldogs finished the dramatic match on a Carson-Newman error.
The Bulldogs hit .152 for the match, collecting 68 kills against 34 errors in 223 attacks. The Eagles had 59 kills and 27 errors in 192 attacks for a .167 hitting percentage. Wingate had seven aces on the night, led by Gale with three. Carson-Newman notched 13 blocks, led by James, senior middle blocker Katie Troyer (Plain City, Ohio), and freshman middle blocker Jasmine Clark (Pelham, Ala.) with six each. The Bulldogs collected 11 blocks, led by Gale and Emmenecker with six each.
Wingate is back in action Saturday afternoon, hosting Lincoln Memorial at 4 p.m. The Bulldogs will celebrate Senior Day, honoring four seniors in a ceremony before the match. Carson-Newman travels to Catawba Saturday for a 5 p.m. start.
(Wingate University assistant sports information director Hugh Patton wrote this article. Patton is a 2006 Wingate graduate with a B.A. degree in Communication Studies.)
