Anderson, S.C.----The 15th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs remained perfect on the season, sweeping the Trojans of Anderson University in South Atlantic Conference volleyball action Friday night. Wingate won by scores of 25-19, 25-14 and 25-14 to improve to 17-0 overall and 8-0 in the SAC. Anderson falls to 5-13 overall and 3-5 in the conference. The Bulldogs have now won 40 consecutive regular season contests dating back to early in the 2010 season and 72 straight regular season matches dating back to the 2006 season.
 
Sophomore outside hitter Cory McGowan (Pittsburgh, Pa.) had 10 kills and six digs to lead the Wingate attack. Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Anna Hilton (Hickory, N.C.) added seven kills and 15 digs, while four different Bulldogs added five kills each. Senior setter Liz Willis (Raleigh, N.C.) had 31 assists and 10 digs, while senior libero Maggie Malone (Chicago, Ill.) collected 17 digs.
 
“It is great for our team to win SAC road match 3-0,” head coach Shelton Collier says. “Our blocking and defense continues to be very strong, which is encouraging. We are looking forward to playing a very tough Newberry team Saturday.”
 
Shannon Gillespie had six kills to lead the Anderson attack. Four different Trojans had three kills each. Meghan Cautero had 17 assists, while Kalie Endres had a match-high 25 digs.
 
A kill from sophomore middle blocker Allison Rickher (Matthews, N.C.) gave Wingate a 14-9 lead in the first set. A pair of Bulldog errors cut the lead to two at 18-16. A kill from freshman middle blocker Kelsey Handel (Knoxville, Tenn.), along with an Anderson error made it 20-16. Back-to-back Wingate errors trimmed the lead back to two. Wingate would score five of the last six points in the set, taking advantage of five Anderson errors to claim the opening frame.
 
The Bulldogs used a 5-0 run, getting three kills from McGowan, to take a 14-7 lead in set two. Another 5-0 run, sparked by two McGowan kills and a McGowan block made it 19-9. The Trojans would get no closer than eight the rest of the way. Junior middle blocker Grace Krauser (Louisville, Ky.) made it 24-14, while an Anderson error finished the set.
 
Three kills from Hilton helped Wingate build a 7-1 lead in the final frame. A kill from Joy Hiller cut the lead to two at 9-7. A 4-0 run pushed the Wingate lead to seven at 18-11. Freshman outside hitter Susie Murach (Burke, Va.) had a kill and an ace in the spurt. Another 4-0 run, highlighted by a Hilton kill, pushed the lead to 10 at 23-13. Two more Anderson errors capped the match for Wingate.
 
Wingate hit .223 on the night, with 39 kills and 14 errors in 112 attacks. Anderson had 20 kills and 19 errors in 120 attacks, hitting .008 for the night.
 
The Bulldogs return to action Saturday, traveling to Newberry for a 2 p.m. start.