BOX SCORE       POST MATCH INTERVIEWS


Salisbury, N.C.----Wingate University redshirt sophomore middle blocker Anna Hilton (Hickory, N.C.) had 16 kills, 15 digs and four blocks to lead the 15th-ranked Bulldogs past Catawba College 3-1 in South Atlantic Conference volleyball action Tuesday night. Wingate rallied after dropping the opening set for the second consecutive match, prevailing by scores of 20-25, 25-17, 25-19 and 25-20 to improve to 19-0 overall and 10-0 in the SAC. The ‘Dogs have now won 74 straight SAC contests and 42 consecutive regular season matches. Catawba falls to 12-6 overall and 6-4 in the SAC.
 
The league leader in hitting percentage, Hilton hit .351 for the match. Sophomore outside hitter Cory McGowan (Pittsburgh, Pa.) added 13 kills, six digs and three solo blocks, hitting .294 on the night. Freshmen middle blockers Lexi Potter (North Liberty, Iowa) and Kelsey Handel (Knoxville, Tenn.) added nine kills each, while Potter contributed four blocks. Senior setter Liz Willis (Raleigh, N.C.) notched her third straight double-double with 46 assists and 16 digs, while senior libero Maggie Malone (Chicago, Ill.) collected 24 digs.
 
"Catawba had a great crowd and a really exciting match atmosphere, so it was an exciting win for us tonight,” Wingate head coach Shelton Collier says. “Anna Hilton once again played like the best player in the conference and Cory McGowan had one of her best matches of the season. It was great to win at Catawba because I don’t think any other SAC team will win on this court this season.”
 
Kaitlyn Whitmer had 13 kills and 13 digs to lead the Catawba attack. Alli Parrish added 10 kills, 15 digs and seven assists for the Indians. Jordan Raye had 35 assists and 14 digs, while Jenny Young piled up 31 digs on the night.
 
A kill from Shay Meeks gave Catawba a 14-11 lead in the opening frame. The ‘Dogs rallied, tying the set at 15 on a kill from freshman outside hitter Susie Murach (Burke, Va.), along with a Catawba error. The Indians answered with five straight points to take a 20-15 lead on a Meeks kill. Wingate would get no closer than four the rest of the way, as Catawba claimed the first set on a Whitmer kill. The Indians hit .317 in the opening frame.
 
A 4-0 run, capped by back-to-back Handel kills, gave Wingate a 12-8 lead in the second set. A kill from Taylor Doss got the Indians to within three at 14-11. The Bulldogs responded with five straight points to take a 19-11 advantage. Junior middle blocker Grace Krauser (Louisville, Ky.) started the run with a kill and a block, while Hilton capped the flurry with a kill. Catawba would get no closer than six the rest of the way. A Murach kill and Catawba error made the score 24-17, while Willis finished the set with a kill. The ‘Dogs hit .286 in the second frame, holding Catawba to .098.
 
The Bulldogs jumped out to an 11-6 lead in the third set, capped by a Handel kill and a Catawba error. Parrish answered with a kill to trim the lead to five, but Wingate responded with six straight points to take a commanding 17-7 lead. Willis started the spurt with a kill and a block, while also capping the flurry with a kill. Catawba fought back to get to within five at 24-19 on a Whitmer kill. The Bulldogs turned to McGowan, who wrapped up the third frame with a kill, giving Wingate a 2-1 lead in the match.
 
Kills from McGowan and Handel, along with a Hilton ace, put the Bulldogs on top 10-6 in the fourth set. A kill from Emily Richardson cut the Catawba deficit to three, but Wingate responded with six unanswered points to take a 16-7 advantage. Handel had back-to-back kills to spark the flurry, while Catawba committed four errors. A block from Richardson and Whitmer cut the Wingate lead to four at 21-17. The Indians got within three when a Wingate error and Whitmer kill made the score 22-19. Handel answered with a kill to push the lead back to four. Raye cut the deficit to three one final time with a kill, but the ‘Dogs got kills from Potter and Hilton to finish the match.
 
Wingate hit .210 on the night, with 59 kills and 21 errors in 181 attacks. Catawba had 50 kills and 25 errors in 176 attacks, hitting .142 on the night. Hilton and Potter led the way with four blocks each, while freshman defensive specialist Stephanie Tassone (Chicago, Ill.) notched a match-high three aces.
 
Wingate returns to action Friday night, hosting Carson-Newman College at 7 p.m. Catawba hosts Lincoln Memorial University Friday at 6:30 p.m.  

(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.)