BOX SCORE

Brevard, N.C.----The 15th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs clinched their sixth consecutive outright regular season SAC title Wednesday night, defeating Brevard College 3-0 in South Atlantic Conference volleyball action. Wingate won by scores of 25-23, 25-16 and 25-20 to improve to 24-0 overall and 15-0 in the SAC. The ‘Dogs have now won 79 consecutive SAC matches and 47 straight regular season contests. Brevard falls to 6-20 overall and 0-15 in the SAC.
 
Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Anna Hilton (Hickory, N.C.) had 10 kills, hitting .412 on the night to lead the Wingate attack. Junior middle blocker Grace Krauser (Louisville, Ky.) added eight kills on 14 swings, hitting .571 on the night. Sophomore outside hitter Cory McGowan (Pittsburgh, Pa.) had seven kills for the Bulldogs. Senior setter Liz Willis (Raleigh, N.C.) handed out 28 assists in two sets of action, while senior libero Maggie Malone (Chicago, Ill.) piled up 17 digs.
 
“Like so many teams have done to us on their home courts this year, Brevard played great and really pressed us,” Wingate head coach Shelton Collier says. “I am pleased we found a way to win the first set and get control of the match. We have the weekend off, which will be great for us because we have been working very hard in practice and with away matches.”
 
Ashlie Morrison led the Brevard attack with nine kills, hitting .318. Kortney Conner added five kills for the Tornados. Bethany Stevenson had 14 assists, while Lindsey Rogers collected 15 digs.
 
A Krauser kill gave Wingate an early 8-4 lead in the opening set. Brevard battled back, using a 4-0 run to take a 14-13 lead on a Jordei Osby kill. The Tornados took a two-point lead when a Conner kill made the score 17-15. Wingate battled back, tying the set at 19 on a kill from freshman outside hitter Susie Murach (Burke, Va.), then taking a 20-19 advantage on a Brevard error. The Tornados tied the set one final time when a Conner kill made the tally 23-23. A kill from McGowan put Wingate on top for good, while a block from McGowan and freshman middle blocker Lexi Potter (North Liberty, Iowa) finished the opening frame. Wingate hit .459 in the first set, with 19 kills and only two errors.
 
A kill and a block from Krauser helped the Bulldogs jump out to a 13-5 lead in the second set. Sydney Yeomans answered with a kill for the Tornados, but the ‘Dogs responded with three straight points, sparked by a Krauser kill, to go on top 16-6. Brevard would get no closer than nine the rest of the way. A Krauser kill made it 24-12, while a Brevard error finished the second set.
 
A kill from redshirt freshman setter Alison Cooke (Davidson, N.C.), followed by an ace from sophomore middle blocker Allison Rickher (Matthews, N.C.), put Wingate on top 11-8 in the third set. Kills from Hilton and freshman middle blocker Jenna Flanigin (Aldie, Va.) pushed the lead to four at 16-12. A block from Osby and Joy Oswalt cut the lead to one at 17-16. A kill from senior outside hitter Janice Ehorn (Orange, Conn.), along with a pair of Brevard errors, pushed the lead back to four at 20-16. Another Ehorn kill and Brevard error gave the ‘Dogs a 23-18 advantage. A kill from sophomore outside hitter Rianne Lang (Littleton, Colo.) made the score 24-20, while the Bulldogs claimed the match on a Brevard error.

Wingate hit .202 for the match, with 42 kills and 19 errors in 114 attacks. Brevard had 25 kills and 22 errors in 102 attacks, hitting .029 on the night. The Bulldogs held the Tornados to a negative hitting percentage in the final two sets, as the hosts combined to compile eight kills and 18 errors.

The Bulldogs return to action Tuesday, Nov. 1, traveling to Lenoir-Rhyne for a 7 p.m. match. Wingate returns home Friday, Nov. 4, hosting Anderson at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs finish regular season action Saturday, Nov. 5 at home against Newberry. First serve is slated for 5 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.)