Mars Hill, N.C.----The 15th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs swept the Mars Hill College Lions in South Atlantic Conference volleyball action Saturday evening, clinching at least a share of their sixth consecutive regular season SAC title. Wingate won by scores of 25-13, 25-20 and 25-12 to improve to 23-0 overall and 14-0 in the SAC. The ‘Dogs have won 78 consecutive SAC matches and 46 straight regular season contests. Mars Hill falls to 11-9 overall and 6-8 in the SAC.

The balanced Wingate offense had six players with at least three kills. Freshman middle blocker Kelsey Handel (Knoxville, Tenn.) led the way with nine kills, adding three blocks and hitting .500 on the day. Freshman outside hitter Susie Murach (Burke, Va.) posted eight kills and eight digs, while redshirt sophomore middle blocker Anna Hilton (Hickory, N.C.) had six kills, 12 digs and four assists. Senior setter Liz Willis (Raleigh, N.C.) had 20 assists and 12 digs, while senior Maggie Malone (Chicago, Ill.) collected 16 digs.

“Mars Hill has been very tough on its home court this year, so I was pleased that we were able to come in and win with such a significant point margin,” Wingate head coach Shelton Collier says. “Mars Hill’s two outside hitters hit .330 Friday night against Catawba; we held them to .050, which is a credit to our block and defense.”

The Mars Hill offense was recorded only 23 kills on the day. Marissa Wixson had eight kills and 13 digs to lead the attack for the Lions. Laura Ann Huskey and Evie Tafunai added four kills each. Hannah Wilson handed out 14 assists, while Maggie Murphy had 23 digs.

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 12-7 lead in the opening set on a block from sophomore outside hitter Cory McGowan (Pittsburgh, Pa.). Huskey answered with a kill to cut the lead to four, but the ‘Dogs responded with six consecutive points to go on top by 10. Hilton started the run with a kill, while Handel followed with a block. Back-to-back Murach kills, followed by consecutive Mars Hill errors, made the score 18-8. The Lions would get no closer than eight the rest of the way. A kill and a block from freshman middle blocker Jenna Flanigin (Aldie, Va.) made the margin 24-13, while Wingate claimed set one on a Mars Hill error.

A 3-0 run gave Wingate a 13-8 lead in the second set. Junior middle blocker Grace Krauser (Louisville, Ky.) had a kill and an ace in the spurt. Kills from Hilton and Handel made the score 17-11. The Lions cut their deficit to two at 17-15 on a kill from Hillary Gambrell, along with a Wingate error. A Willis kill, followed by back-to-back Murach kills, pushed the lead to five at 21-16. A Handel block put the Bulldogs on top 24-19, while a kill from redshirt freshman Alison Cooke (Davidson, N.C.) finished off set two for Wingate.

The ‘Dogs used a 5-0 run to take a 13-6 lead in the third set. Handel started the flurry with a kill, while sophomore middle blocker Allison Rickher (Matthews, N.C.) added a kill and two blocks. Rickher added an ace to put Wingate on top by nine. Two more Handel kills gave Wingate a 24-12 lead, while a Mars Hill error capped the match for the Bulldogs.

Wingate hit .275 for the match, with 40 kills and 10 errors in 109 attacks. The Lions had 23 kills and 17 errors in 114 attacks, good for a hitting percentage of .053. Murach had two of Wingate’s five aces on the day.

The Bulldogs are back in action Wednesday, traveling to Brevard College for a 7 p.m. start. The Lions host Lincoln Memorial University Tuesday at 7 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.)