Box Score
 
Newberry, S.C.----The top-seeded Wingate University Bulldogs defeated eighth-seeded Newberry College 3-1 Friday afternoon in quarterfinal action of the 2013 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference volleyball tournament. Wingate won by scores of 25-23, 25-19, 19-25 and 25-22 to improve to 27-2 overall, advancing to Saturday's SAC semifinals. Newberry falls to 18-12 overall. Wingate has now won 24 consecutive matches this season and 22 straight SAC tournament contests.

Two-time SAC Player of the Year Anna Hilton (Hickory, N.C.) had 14 kills, 15 digs and five blocks to lead the Wingate attack. First team All-SAC middle blocker Lexi Potter (North Liberty, Iowa) added 12 kills, six digs and five blocks, hitting .444. Senior middle blocker Allison Rickher (Matthews, N.C.) piled up career highs of 11 kills and nine blocks. The second team All-SAC selection hit .500 on the match. First team All-SAC setter Alison Cooke (Davidson, N.C.) had 36 assists and seven digs, while junior libero Stephanie Tassone (Chicago, Ill.) collected 15 digs.

"Newberry played awesome today and we really had to play well to survive and advance to the next round," head coach Shelton Collier says. "Coming back from a 10-0 deficit in the first set and finding a way to win was very special. We are pleased we get to move on to the semifinals."

Amanda Soper had 16 kills to lead the Newberry attack. Jessica King added 12 kills, seven digs and four blocks, while Logan Hayward contributed 10 kills. Samantha Parrish had nine kills and 31 digs for the Wolves, while Rachel Moran handed out 31 assists. Elayni Stokes collected 19 digs for the Wolves.
The Wolves jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead in the opening frame, with Soper contributing four kills. A Hilton kill and Shelly Stumpff (Iowa City, Iowa) ace cut the lead to five at 13-8. A kill and a block from Rickher, followed by a Potter ace made it 14-12. Kills from Holly Brisson and King pushed the Newberry lead back to five at 18-13. A Rickher kill, along with a pair of Hilton kills tied the set at 18. A pair of King kills gave the Wolves a 22-19 advantage. The 'Dogs answered with a 4-0 run to take their first lead of the frame. Stumpff started the flurry with a kill, then tied it at 22 with a block, while a Potter kill made it 23-22. Newberry got a Soper kill to tie the frame at 23. Potter responded with a kill, while a Stumpff ace finished the opening frame.

A block and a kill from Potter gave Wingate a 10-6 lead in the second set. Two Hayward kills, along with a Soper kill cut the lead to one at 10-9. A Hilton kill and Newberry error made it 13-10. A Parrish kill and King ace made it 13-12 but two Potter kills helped the Bulldogs take a 17-14 advantage. Kills from Cooke and junior outside hitter Susie Murach (Burke, Va.) made it 19-15, but a Brisson kill and Moran ace trimmed the lead back to two at 19-17. A pair of Hilton kills, along with a kill and a block from Rickher gave the 'Dogs a 24-18 lead. A Hilton kill capped the set.

Two kills and a block from Hayward gave the Wolves a 10-6 lead in set three. A kill and a block from Murach cut the lead to three, but a Soper kill and two Wingate errors pushed the Newberry lead to seven at 18-11. A kill and an ace from Potter helped the Bulldogs trim the lead to four at 20-16. A kill from freshman Abby Saehler (Iowa City, Iowa) got the 'Dogs to within three at 21-18, but kills from King and Soper made it 23-18. Soper finished the frame with a kill.

Kills from Hayward and Parrish put Newberry on top 11-7 in the fourth set. Two Rickher kills cut the lead to three at 11-8, but two Wingate errors made it 13-9. A kill and a block from Hilton helped the 'Dogs cut the lead to one, but kills from Soper and Alexus Horton made it 15-12. A Potter block and Newberry error tied the set at 16. Hayward answered with a kill, but a Potter kill and two Rickher blocks put the Bulldogs on top 19-17. Two King kills tied it at 19, but a Rickher kill helped put Wingate back on top by two. Kills from King and Soper tied it 21-21, but kills from Rickher and Stumpff put the 'Dogs back on top by two. Parrish cut the lead to one with a kill, but a block from Rickher and Hilton made it 24-22. The Bulldogs took the match on a Newberry error.

Wingate hit .200 on the math, with 48 kills and 15 errors in 165 attacks. Newberry had 59 kills and 36 errors in 182 attacks, hitting .126. Wingate tied a season high with 15 total blocks, led by Rickher's nine and Stumpff's six. Potter and Stumpff registered two aces apiece.

The Bulldogs return to action Saturday, taking on the winner of the Queens vs. Lincoln Memorial match. The semifinal contest will take place at Newberry at 1:30 p.m.