Wingate, N.C.----The ninth-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs wrapped up the regular season with a 3-1 victory over Mars Hill University Saturday afternoon in Cuddy Arena. Wingate won by scores of 25-16, 25-23, 23-25 and 25-12 to improve to 26-2 overall and 22-0 in the SAC. Mars Hill falls to 16-11 overall and 13-9 in the conference. Wingate will be the number one seed in next week's Food Lion SAC Tournament.

The victory gives the Bulldogs their 37th consecutive SAC win, while also giving them their 23rd consecutive victory this year. Wingate has now gone undefeated in SAC play six of the past seven seasons. The 'Dogs have won 120 of 122 league contests since the start of the 2007 season. Wingate has won eight consecutive regular season SAC titles and will look for an eight straight SAC Tournament championship next week in Newberry.

"Many coaches have said that our conference is stronger than ever this year, so for us to go through the entire regular season undefeated is very impressive," head coach Shelton Collier says. "We showed some great consistency in our effort and performance all season and we are very proud of this accomplishment. We are looking forward to the SAC Tournament."

Redshirt senior right-side hitter Anna Hilton (Hickory, N.C.) had 16 kills, 16 digs and five assists to lead the Wingate attack, hitting .325. Junior middle blocker Lexi Potter (North Liberty, Iowa) had 15 kills and six blocks, hitting .429. The 2012 All-SAC and All-Region selection finishes the regular season as the league-leader in hitting percentage for the third consecutive year, notching a .386 percentage. Freshman middle blocker Abby Saehler (Iowa City, Iowa) added eight kills, while junior outside hitter Susie Murach (Burke, Va.) had six kills and 13 digs. Redshirt junior setter Alison Cooke (Davidson, N.C.) had 30 assists, 12 digs, four blocks and three kills in three sets, while junior libero Stephanie Tassone (Chicago, Ill.) had 19 digs.

Marissa Wixson had 11 kills and 10 digs to lead the Mars Hill attack. Toni Cole added eight kills, while MaryKate Griffin had seven kills. Hannah Wilson handed out 17 assists, while Maggie Murphy had 23 digs.

Kills from Hilton and Murach gave the 'Dogs a 12-9 advantage. A block from Wixson cut the lead to two at 14-12, but a 6-0 run gave the 'Dogs a 20-12 lead. Potter had two kills and a block in the flurry. Kills from Potter, Saehler and freshman middle blocker Rachael Cecka (Plymouth, Wisc.) made it 24-16. Freshman Shelby Nassar (Waxhaw, N.C.) finished the set with an ace.

The second set stayed tight throughout, featuring 12 ties and eight lead changes. A Cole kill and Wixson ace gave the Lions a 17-14 advantage. A Cooke kill cut the lead to two at 18-16, but a Griffin kill made it 19-16. The 'Dogs answered with a 4-0 run to take a 20-19 lead, getting three kills and a block from Murach in the spurt.  Mars Hill took a 22-21 lead on a kill from Amber McClure but a Hilton kill and Potter block put Wingate on top 23-22. A Cole kill tied it, but Hilton answered with another kill to give the 'Dogs set point. Potter capped the frame with a kill.

Back-to-back Hilton kills gave Wingate an 18-10 lead in the third set. Mars Hill had the response, using a 9-1 run to tie it at 19. Cole had three kills and an ace in the spurt. Back-to-back Wingate errors made it 22-20, but an MHU error and kill from senior middle blocker Allison Rickher (Matthews, N.C.) tied it at 22. A kill from Regan Macomson, followed by a Wingate error gave the Lions a 24-22 lead. Rickher cut the lead to one with a kill, but a Victoria Kaiser capped the set.

The Bulldogs used a 7-0 run to take a 9-3 lead in the fourth frame. Potter had two kills and two blocks in the early spurt. A block and kill from Murach made it 13-5. The 'Dogs pushed the lead to double figures when a Potter kill made it 20-10. Two more Potter kills made it 23-11, while a Mars Hill error made it 24-12. Wingate won the match on a Mars Hill error. The 'dogs hit .343 in the fourth frame, with 15 kills and just three errors.

Wingate hit .235 on the match, with 63 kills and 24 errors in 166 attacks. Mars Hill had 37 kills and 21 errors in 160 attacks, hitting .100. Potter's six blocks were a match high, while Wixson led the Lions with four.

The Bulldogs are the top seed in the SAC Tournament next Wingate. The 'Dogs open the tournament Friday, taking on eighth-seeded Newberry at 12 p.m. Mars Hill is the seventh seed in the tournament and will take on second-seeded Tusculum at 5 p.m. The winner of the Wingate-Newberry match will face the winner of the Queens-LMU match. The SAC Tournament will be held at Newberry.