Box Score

Wingate, N.C.----For the second time this year, the Queens University Royals took the opening set against 10th-ranked Wingate University and once again the Bulldogs responded by winning the next three sets to notch a 3-1 victory in South Atlantic Conference volleyball action. Wingate won by scores of 23-25, 25-18, 25-9 and 25-22 to improve to 18-2 overall and 14-0 in the SAC. The Bulldogs have won 15 consecutive matches and 29 straight league contests. Queens falls to 7-9 overall and 7-7 in the conference.

Redshirt senior right-side hitter Anna Hilton (Hickory, N.C.) had 14 kills, 10 digs and three blocks to lead the Wingate attack, hitting .367. Junior middle blocker Lexi Potter (North Liberty, Iowa) added 10 kills and a .360 hitting percentage, while sophomore outside hitter Shelly Stumpff (Iowa City, Iowa) had 10 kills and eight digs. Junior outside hitter Susie Murach (Burke, Va.) contributed six kills and seven digs, while senior middle blocker Allison Rickher (Matthews, N.C.) had six kills and five blocks, hitting .400. Redshirt junior setter Alison Cooke (Davidson, N.C.) had 39 assists, seven digs and four kills, while junior libero Stephanie Tassone (Chicago, Ill.) collected 17 digs.

"Queens deserves great credit for outplaying us for a set-and-a-half on our home court," Wingate head coach Shelton Collier says. "We really had to battle back, which was very good for our team. We have had some relatively easy wins recently, so for us to have to work really hard and elevate our level of play will help us as we work to achieve our long-term goals."

Keri Kemp had a match-high 18 kills to lead the Queens attack, adding 11 digs. Anna Gibbs contributed 11 kills, while Elizabeth Bialkowski had seven kills and three blocks. Taylor Riley handed out 40 assists for the Royals, while Erin Mooney registered 17 digs.

Two Potter kills, along with a Cooke block put Wingate on top 10-6 in the opening set. Queens responded by scoring the next five points, taking an 11-10 lead on a kill and a block from Kemp. A Kemp ace and Bialkowski block put the Royals on top 15-12. Kills from Murach and Rickher cut the lead to one at 19-18, but a pair of Wingate errors put Queens back on top by three. Another Kemp kill made it 22-19, but two Hilton kills along with a Queens error tied it at 22. Back-to-back kills from Gibbs gave the Royals a 24-22 advantage. Another Gibbs kill capped the first set for Queens.

The second set stayed tied most of the way, featuring nine ties and seven lead changes. Kills from Rickher, Murach and Hilton gave Wingate a 14-12 lead. The Royals answered with a 3-0 run, taking a 15-14 lead on a Bialkowski kill and Wingate error. A kill and a block from Gibbs put Queens on top 18-17. The Bulldogs had the emphatic response, scoring the last eight points of the set. Hilton started it with a kill, while a Tassone ace and Stumpff kill made it 20-18. Another Stumpff kill, along with two more Hilton kills and a Queens error made it 24-18, while a Potter kill finished the frame.

The Bulldogs jumped out to an 11-4 lead in the third set and never looked back. Hilton had a pair of early kills, while Wingate took advantage of seven Queens errors. Kills from Potter and Murach stretched the lead to nine at 14-5. A 5-0 Wingate run, highlighted by a pair of blocks from Hilton and Rickher made it 21-7. Kills from Hilton and Stumpff made it 24-9, while a Queens error finished the set, give the 'Dogs a 2-1 lead in the match. Wingate hit .450 in the match, while the Royals hit -.125.

Two Gibbs kill and a Wingate error helped Queens take a 7-4 lead in the fourth set. Kills from Hilton, Stumpff and Cooke tied it at 7-7. The Bulldogs used a 4-0 run to take a 16-12 advantage, getting two Potter kills in the flurry. After a kill from Brittany Barren cut the lead to three Wingate reeled off five consecutive points. Stumpff had a kill in the spurt, while freshman outside hitter Shelby Nassar (Waxhaw, N.C.) added an ace. Kills from Stumpff, Cooke and Potter put the 'Dogs on top 24-17. Queens scored the next five points, cutting the lead to two on four consecutive Wingate errors. Rickher and freshman Abby Saehler (Iowa City, Iowa) capped the match with a block.

Wingate hit .239 on the night, with 51 kills and 18 errors in 138 attacks. Queens had 46 kills and 32 errors in 149 attacks, hitting .094.

The Bulldogs return to action Friday, hosting Catawba at 7 p.m. Queens travels to Coker Friday at 7 p.m.