Box Score  

Charlotte, N.C.----After dropping the opening set Tuesday night, the 16th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs rallied for a 3-1 victory over the Royals of Queens University in South Atlantic Conference volleyball action. Wingate won by scores of 23-25, 25-13, 25-19 and 25-18 to improve to 6-2 overall and 3-0 in the SAC. The Royals fall to 1-4 overall and 1-2 in the conference.

Redshirt senior right-side hitter Anna Hilton (Hickory, N.C.) had 11 kills, 15 digs and six blocks to lead the Wingate attack, hitting .333. Junior middle blocker Lexi Potter (North Liberty, Iowa) and freshman middle blocker Abby Saehler (Iowa City, Iowa) added 10 kills each, while senior middle blocker Allison Rickher (Matthews, N.C.) had six kills, five blocks and hit .750. Sophomore setter Iris Brewer (Cincinnati, Ohio) had 36 assists and 10 digs, while junior libero Stephanie Tassone (Chicago, Ill.) piled up 18 digs.

"Queens had an awesome event to open up their facility," head coach Shelton Collier says. "We were hoping to allow that atmosphere to bring out the best in our team, but we really struggled tonight. Some of it because Queens played well, also it showed us we need to improve. It was a special environment tonight."

Keri Kemp had a match-high 15 kills to go along with 10 kills. Megan Mancini added nine kills, while Elizabeth Bialkowski had seven kills. Taylor Riley handed out 39 assists, while Jocelyn Kellinger had 15 digs.

A kill from Anna Gibbs gave Queens an 11-8 lead in the opening set. A pair of kills from Kemp pushed the advantage to six at 16-10. A Gibbs kill and Wingate error made it 19-11. The Bulldogs had the answer, using a 7-0 run to gain a 21-20 advantage. Potter started the flurry with a kill, while Saehler capped it with two kills. The Royals regained the lead, going on top 23-22 on a kill from Meredith Jones and a Wingate error. A Saehler kill tied it at 23, but another Kemp kill gave Queens set point. The Royals claimed the opening frame on a Wingate error.

An ace and a block from junior outside hitter Susie Murach (Burke, Va.) gave the 'Dogs an early 7-2 lead in the second set. A kill from Potter, followed by an ace from sophomore outside hitter Shelly Stumpff (Iowa City, Iowa) gave Wingate a 15-6 lead. The Bulldogs pushed the lead to nine when kills from Stumpff and Hilton made it 20-11. A Potter kill made it 24-13, while an ace from Hilton capped the second set, tying the match 1-1.

A Gibbs kill and Wingate error gave the Royals an 11-8 lead in the third set. A kill and a block from Rickher tied the set at 14. Kills from Rickher and Hilton gave the 'Dogs a 17-15 lead. A kill from Mancini cut the lead to one, but a Queens error and a block from Potter and Murach pushed the advantage to three at 19-16. A Kemp kill cut the lead to one at 20-19, but the Bulldogs would close the set on a 5-0 run. Saehler had two kills in the flurry, while a pair of Queens errors capped the frame.

Queens jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the fourth set on a kill from Bialkowski. Wingate scored the next five points, taking an 8-7 lead on a Saehler ace and Queens error. Wingate used a 3-0 run to take a 13-11 lead, highlighted by a block from Hilton and Rickher. A pair of Saehler kills helped Wingate take an 18-13 lead. A Kemp kill and Bialkowski ace cut the lead to four at 21-17, but back-to-back blocks from Rickher and Hilton made it 23-17. Murach capped the match with a kill.

Wingate hit .233 on the night, with 44 kills and 16 errors in 120 attacks. Queens had 44 kills and 32 errors in 153 attacks, hitting .078. Hilton and Potter had six kills each to lead Wingate, while Rickher added five.

Wingate is back in action Friday, traveling to Catawba at 7 p.m.