Box Score

Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University volleyball team moved to 6-0 on the season, defeating Anderson University (S.C.) 3-0 Friday night in the final match on day one of the 2009 Wingate Classic in Cuddy Arena. The Bulldogs won by scores of 25-17, 25-17 and 25-21 to pick up their sixth straight win to start the 2009 season. The Trojans suffer their first loss of the year, falling to 4-1.

Junior outside hitter Lauren Billo (Orland Park, Ill.) led the way with 16 kills while hitting .364. Junior middle blocker Stormi Gale (Richmond, Texas) added nine kills and nine digs. Sophomore setter Liz Willis (Raleigh, N.C.) had 38 assists and 10 digs while sophomore libero Maggie Malone (Chicago, Ill.) racked up a match-high 16 digs.

Sophomore outside hitter Adria Mullaney (Tampa, Fla.) led the Anderson attack with eight kills and 14 digs. Freshman middle hitter Paulette Rivers (Rock Hill, S.C.) added six kills while hitting .308. Sophomore setter Lindsay Doggett (Jacksonville, Fla.) had 24 assists and 10 digs while sophomore outside hitter Jamie Lancaster (Fountain Inn, S.C.) added 14 digs for the Trojans.

The Bulldogs used a 6-0 run in the first set to turn a two point lead into a 15-7 advantage. Billo capped the run with four consecutive kills. Anderson cut the lead to five on a block from Lancaster and freshman outside hitter Brittani Herron (Matthews, N.C.). Wingate stretched the lead back to eight when a kill from sophomore outside hitter Janice Ehorn (Orange, Conn.) made it 22-14. The Bulldogs finished the set on a kill from Billo followed by an ace from Gale.

Anderson held a 14-12 lead in the second set after a kill from Lancaster. The Bulldogs answered by scoring the next seven points, getting two aces from Willis to go along with a pair of block assists from sophomore outside hitter Jenny O’ Brien (Matthews, N.C.) and junior middle blocker Rebecca Bloemer (Louisville, Ky.). Kills from Bloemer and senior outside hitter Jacki Emmenecker (Perrysburg, Ohio) made it 24-15. Emmenecker finished the set with a kill.

Kills from Billo and Willis put Wingate on top 19-12 in the deciding match. The Trojans fought back, getting kills from Doggett and Mullaney to cut the lead to two at 21-19. Kills from Gale and Billo stretched the Wingate lead to 24-20. Billo capped the match with her 16th and final kill.

The Bulldogs hit .234 for the match, racking up 48 kills against 16 errors in 137 attacks. Anderson hit .086, with 29 kills against 19 errors in 116 attacks. The bulldogs had seven aces, led by Willis, Gale and Malone with two each. Anderson had four, with three of them coming from Herron.

Wingate is back in action Saturday, taking on Anderson at 1 p.m. and Saint Augustine’s at 3 p.m. on day two of the Wingate Classic. Anderson takes on Saint Augustine’s Saturday at 11 a.m. before battling Wingate at 1 p.m.