Box Score  

Wingate, N.C.----The 12th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs opened SAC play in style Tuesday night, hitting a season-best .435 to sweep the visiting Catawba College Indians in South Atlantic Conference volleyball action in Cuddy Arena. Wingate won by scores of 25-14, 25-19 and 29-27 to move to 8-1 overall and 1-0 in the SAC. Catawba falls to 2-4 overall and 0-1 in the conference.

Junior right-side hitter Shelly Stumpff (Iowa City, Iowa) had 12 kills, five aces, three digs and two blocks to lead the Wingate attack, hitting .407. All-American Lexi Potter (North Liberty, Iowa) added 11 kills in 15 swings, hitting .667 while adding three aces. Senior outside hitters Cory McGowan (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Susie Murach (Burke, Va.) added nine kills each, while sophomore middle blocker Abby Saehler (Iowa City, Iowa) contributed eight kills and a .455 hitting percentage. Redshirt senior setter Alison Cooke (Davidson, N.C.) handed out 25 assists in two sets, while junior Iris Brewer (Cincinnati, Ohio) had 18 assists in one set of action. Freshman libero Kori Adams (Ayden, N.C.) compiled 10 digs.

"In my opinion, Catawba is the most improved team in the conference this year, and they played really well at times tonight," head coach Shelton Collier says. "With us spending so much physical and emotional energy in our two Armstrong matches this past weekend, I was impressed with the fact that we were able to play well enough to win tonight. We certainly posted some impressive hitting numbers in the match, which was great to see."

Alex Hopper had 11 kills to lead the Catawba attack, adding two digs and two aces. Six different Indians contributed at least two kills on the night. Kaytee Frabotta handed out 13 assists, while Taylor Houser had seven digs.

Wingate used a 6-0 run to take a 14-6 lead in the opening set. McGowan had a pair of kills in the flurry. A block and a kill from Saehler gave the 'Dogs a 17-7 advantage. Catawba got no closer than six the rest of the way. A Potter kill and Stumpff ace made it 24-14, while another Potter kill finished the opening frame. Wingate hit .538 in the first set, with 16 kills and two errors in 26 attacks.

An Erin Morant ace and Wingate error gave Catawba a 10-5 lead in the second set. Kills from Potter, Stumpff and Murach helped the Bulldogs cut the lead to one at 10-9. Kills from Morant and Rachel Gallup pushed the lead to three at 15-12, while an Audrey Huffman kill made it 17-13. The 'Dogs answered with a 7-0 run to take a 20-17 lead. Potter started the flurry with a kill, while Stumpff followed with two aces and a kill. Another Stumpff ace made it 19-17, while Potter's kill capped the spurt. A Wingate error trimmed the lead to two, but kills from McGowan and Stumpff made it 22-18. A Murach kill and Potter ace gave the Bulldogs a 24-19 lead, while an ace from freshman outside hitter Katie Bludau (Seabrook, Texas) capped the set. Wingate had 16 kills and six errors in the second frame, hitting .400.

A Saehler kill and Murach ace gave the Bulldogs a 14-10 lead in the third set. A kill from Abby Pennington cut the lead to one at 14-13. Back-to-back Hopper kills gave the Indians a 16-15 lead. A Stumpff kill put the 'Dogs back on top, but a Hoffman kill and Pennington ace gave Catawba a 20-18 lead. A kill and an ace from Potter tied it at 20, while another Potter ace put Wingate on top by one. Murach added a kill to extend the lead to two, but a Hopper kill and Wingate error made it 22-22. A Saehler kill gave the Bulldogs a 24-23 lead, but Catawba survived the first match point with a Hopper kill. Catawba fended off three more set points, until a Potter kill put Wingate on top 28-27 and Stumpff followed with a kill to finish the match.

Wingate had 52 kills and 12 errors in 92 attacks for the match to hit .435. Catawba had 31 kills and 11 errors in 84 attacks, hitting .238. Saehler's three blocks were a match high, while Stumpff contributed five of Wingate's 10 aces.

The Bulldogs are back in action Friday, hosting Catawba at 7 p.m. Wingate hosts Lenoir-Rhyne Saturday at 5 p.m.