Box Score  

Wingate, N.C.----The ninth-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs hit .392 Tuesday night en route to a 3-0 victory over visiting Coker College in South Atlantic Conference volleyball action in Cuddy Arena. The Bulldogs won by scores of 25-11, 25-15 and 25-13 to improve to 24-2 overall and 20-0 in the SAC. Wingate has now won 21 consecutive matches this season and 35 straight SAC contests. The Cobras fall to 3-25 overall and 0-20 in the conference.

Sophomore outside hitter Shelly Stumpff (Iowa City, Iowa) had eight kills, five aces, three digs and a block to lead the Wingate attack. Redshirt senior right-side hitter Anna Hilton (Hickory, N.C.) added six kills, two digs and a block, while sophomore outside hitter Susie Murach (Burke, Va.) had five kills and eight digs. Junior middle blocker Jenna Flanigin (Aldie, Va.) had four kills in five swings, hitting .800 on the match while junior middle blocker Lexi Potter (North Liberty, Iowa) also had four kills, hitting .375. Redshirt junior setter Alison Cooke (Davidson, N.C.) handed out 20 assists, while junior libero Stephanie Tassone (Chicago, Ill.) had nine digs and an ace.

"It was great that we were able to play well and have all of our players contribute tonight," head coach Shelton Collier says. "It was great for our team to be playing at home after some long road trips. We needed a good performance to prepare us for this weekend."

Taylor Willis had a match-high 10 kills to lead the Coker attack. Hannah Vadakin added five kills, while Cassandra Nagel registered four kills. Samantha Celek handed out 19 assists, while Mindy Morris had 10 digs.

Back-to-back Stumpff kills, followed by a Tassone ace gave Wingate a 12-3 lead in the opening set. Potter started a 4-0 Wingate run with a kill, while Stumpff added two aces. A Murach kill pushed the lead to 12 at 19-7. Two more Stumpff kills gave the 'Dogs a 24-10 lead, while a Hilton kill capped the opening set. The Bulldogs hit .452 in the first frame, with 16 kills and two errors in 31 swings.

A kill and a block from freshman middle blocker Tyler Smith (Aiken, S.C.) gave Wingate a 9-7 lead in set one. A Nagel kill and Wingate error tied the set at nine, but a 7-0 Wingate run made it 16-9. Murach had three kills in the flurry, while freshman middle blocker Abby Saehler (Iowa City, Iowa) added two kills and a block. A Hilton kill and Coker error pushed the lead to nine at 20-11. A kill and a block from Stumpff gave the 'Dogs a 24-15 advantage, while a Stumpff ace capped the second set. Wingate had 14 kills and four errors in set two, hitting .400.

A Potter kill and two Stumpff aces gave the Bulldogs an early 9-5 lead in set three. Kills from Nagel and Willis helped the Cobras cut the lead to one at 9-8. A Brewer kill, followed by back-to-back blocks from senior middle blocker Allison Rickher (Matthews, N.C.) helped the 'Dogs take a 15-9 lead. Back-to-back kills from Katie McElveen helped Coker get to within four at 15-11, but another Rickher kill, along with a Murach ace made it 18-11. Two Stumpff kills pushed the advantage to nine at 22-13. A Potter kill made it 24-13, while a Coker error finished the match.

The Bulldogs had 37 kills and just eight errors in 74 attacks for their .392 hitting percentage, the second highest percentage of the season. Coker had 23 kills and 21 errors in 91 attacks, hitting .022. Rickher's five blocks were a match high, while Stumpff's five aces were also a match high.

Wingate returns to action Friday, hosting Tusculum at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs wrap up the regular season Saturday at 5 p.m. against Mars Hill. Coker hosts Mars Hill Friday at 7 p.m.