BOX SCORE
Banner Elk, N.C.----Six different Bulldogs had at least six kills as Wingate University opened up the 2010 season with an impressive 3-0 sweep over the Bobcats of Lees McRae College on day one of the Carolinas Challenge. Wingate won by scores of 25-20, 25-21 and 25-9 to improve to 1-0 on the season, while Lees-McRae falls to 0-1. The Bulldogs are now 101-6 overall dating back to the start of the 2007 season.
Senior middle blocker Stormi Gale (Richmond, Texas), sophomore middle blocker Grace Krauser (Louisville, Ky.) and freshman outside hitter Cory McGowan (Pittsburgh, Pa.) had eight kills each to lead the Wingate attack. Senior outside hitter Lauren Billo (Orland Park, Ill.) added seven kills in two sets, while senior middle blocker Rebecca Bloemer (Louisville, Ky.) also had seven. Senior setter Amanda Clark (Timberlake, N.C.) had 11 assists and a team-best 11 digs for the Bulldogs, while junior setter Liz Willis (Raleigh, N.C.) handed out a team-best 21 assists. Freshman defensive specialist Rianne Lang (Littleton, Colo.) had 10 digs in two sets in her collegiate debut.
“This was an important win for us for several reasons,” head coach Shelton Collier says. “First, we were really pointing to this first match as an important one to win. Secondly, I expect Lees-McRae to go undefeated in its conference this season, and they will definitely be an NCAA Tournament team.”
Junior outside hitter Megan Epperson (St. John, Ind.) had a match-high nine kills to lead the Bobcats. Sophomore outside hitter Taylor Clendenin (Statesville, N.C.) had six kills and a match-high 17 digs, while sophomore setter Megan Mitchell (Minden, Nev.) had 23 assists and 13 digs.
Kills from Bloemer and McGowan gave Wingate a 14-7 lead in the first set. A kill from senior outside hitter Taylor Stice (Franklin, Tenn.) cut the deficit to 17-13. A Billo kill put the ‘Dogs back on top by five at 19-14. The Bobcats closed the gap to three on a Wingate error that made it 21-18. The Bulldogs answered with kills from Bloemer and Gale to make it 23-18. Wingate won the set on a Lees-McRae error.
A kill from Willis put Wingate on top 17-9 in the second set. Kills from Billo and Gale, followed by a block from Krauser and junior outside hitter Janice Ehorn (Orange, Conn.) made it 23-12. The Bobcats stormed back to cut the Wingate lead to 23-21, capped by three consecutive Wingate errors. The ‘Dogs answered with a kill from Billo to make it 24-21, while Willis capped the set with an ace.
A kill from Gale, followed by an ace from McGowan made it 12-4 in the third set. Back-to-back kills from Krauser, followed by a Willis kill made it 18-6. Gale nailed down the match with a pair of kills.
The Bulldogs return to action Saturday, taking on Coker College at 10 a.m. Wingate will face defending Southeast Regional champion and 22nd-ranked Flagler College at 1 p.m. in a rematch of the 2009 Regional Championship match. Lees-McRae takes on Palm Beach Atlantic at 1 p.m.
