BOX SCORE

Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs collected a huge victory Wednesday night, knocking off the Saints of Flagler College 3-1 in NCAA Division II volleyball action in front of a raucous crowd in Cuddy Arena. The Bulldogs won by scores of 25-23, 25-16, 18-25 and 25-18 to improve to 6-1 overall. Flagler falls to 5-4 on the season. Wingate is now 106-7 overall since the start of the 2007 season.

Freshman outside hitter Cory McGowan (Pittsburgh, Pa.) led the Wingate attack with 14 kills to go along with seven digs, while hitting .364 on the night. Senior middle blocker Stormi Gale (Richmond, Texas) added 11 kills with a .500 hitting percentage, along with 13 digs and five blocks, while senior middle blocker Rebecca Bloemer (Louisville, Ky.) also had 11 kills for the Bulldogs. Junior setter Liz Willis (Raleigh, N.C.) had 27 assists and 16 digs, while junior libero Maggie Malone (Chicago, Ill.) led the ‘Dogs with 19 digs.

“We had a very motivated and determined performance as a team tonight,” head coach Shelton Collier says. “We had one of the best and most enthusiastic crowds we have ever had, and that certainly inspired our players to play at a higher level than normal. It was obviously a very important and much needed win for our team.”

Senior middle blocker Meg Weathersby (Maitland, Fla.) led the Flagler attack with a match-high 18 kills to go along with 10 digs. Sophomore middle blocker Rachel Stacy (Orlando, Fla.) had 10 kills for the Saints. Senior setter Rebecca Royal (Green Cove Springs, Fla.) had 28 assists, while sophomore libero Casey Gnann (Boca Raton, Fla.) collected a match-high 22 digs.

Flagler jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the first set on a kill from sophomore middle blocker Crystal Niederitter (Merritt Island, Fla.). Wingate scored the next five points to take a 7-5 lead, getting three McGowan kills in the spurt. No team would lead by more than two the rest of the way. A kill from sophomore outside hitter Dianna Craine (Oshawa, Ontario) put Flagler on top 22-21. McGowan answered with a kill to tie it at 22. A kill from Gale was answered by a Weathersby kill to make it 23-23. McGowan came through with another kill to put Wingate on top 24-23; the ‘Dogs took the first set on a Flagler error. McGowan had seven of Wingate’s 17 kills in the first frame.

The Bulldogs used a 3-0 run to take a 14-8 lead in the second set, sparked by a kill from redshirt freshman outside hitter Anna Hilton (Hickory, N.C.). An ace from Stacy, followed by a Wingate error cut the lead to 15-12. The Bulldogs scored the next three points to make it 18-12, capped by a Gale kill. A McGowan ace and Hilton kill made it 23-14. Sophomore middle blocker Grace Krauser (Louisville, Ky.) capped the set with a kill. Wingate held Flagler to -.033 hitting, while Bloemer had four kills on four swings in the frame.

A kill from McGowan, followed by a Flagler error gave the Bulldogs an 11-7 lead in the third set. The Saints answered by scoring the next five points, two of which came on Weathersby kills, to take a 12-11 lead. A kill from Gale tied the set at 16. Flagler would score the next six points to take a 22-16 advantage, getting a kill and a pair of blocks from Stacy in the key spurt. The Saints would put the set away on a kill from Weathersby, who notched five kills in 10 swings in the third set as the Saints hit .282.

Wingate jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the fourth set, getting kills from Gale and Bloemer. Flagler got within two when a Stacy ace made it 12-10. Wingate pushed the lead back to four on back-to-back errors by the Saints. A kill from sophomore outside hitter Laura Beth Lancaster (Ocala, Fla.) got Flagler to within three at 17-14. The Bulldogs responded with the key stretch in the match, going on a decisive 5-0 run to take a 22-14 lead. Krauser got it started with three consecutive kills, while sophomore outside hitter Janice Ehorn (Orange, Conn.) capped it with a block and a kill. McGowan put the ‘Dogs on top 24-16, while Bloemer finished the match with a kill. Bloemer, McGowan and Gale had four kills each in the final frame for Wingate.

Wingate hit .214 for the match, with 61 kills against 24 errors in 173 attacks. Flagler hit .169, with 50 kills against 25 errors in 154 attacks. Gale’s five blocks led the Bulldogs, while Hilton added three. Stacy had five blocks to lead the Saints.

The Bulldogs return to action Friday, traveling to Mars Hill for a 7 p.m. match. A win would give Wingate its 50th consecutive SAC victory. Flagler will host USC Aiken Friday night at 7 p.m.