Newberry, S.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs won their eighth straight match Friday night, prevailing 3-0 at Newberry College in South Atlantic Conference volleyball action. Wingate won by scores of 25-21, 25-18 and 25-17 to improve to 15-2 overall and 9-1 in the SAC. The Wolves fall to 6-9 overall and 2-8 in the conference. The Bulldogs have now won 48 consecutive matches against Newberry.

All-American middle blocker Abby Saehler (Iowa City, Iowa) had 13 kills, 12 digs and four blocks, hitting .500 to lead the Wingate attack. Senior right-side hitter Shelly Stumpff (Iowa City, Iowa) added 11 kills, eight digs and two aces, while freshmen Oakley Attaway (Belle Isle, Fla.) and Anna Holmquist (Lincoln, Neb.) contributed five kills and four kills, respectively. Senior setter Iris Brewer (Cincinnati, Ohio) compiled 30 assists and 12 digs, while freshman Kimberly Hovey (Raleigh, N.C.) added 10 digs for Wingate.

"This was challenging tonight, playing without Tyler Smith and Katie Bludau, who are both out with serious hand injuries," head coach Shelton Collier says. "It was great that we found three different lineup combinations to play well enough to win a competitive road match."

Logan Hayward led the Wolves with 12 kills, while Alexus Horton added six kills and three blocks. Mary Siebert and Madison Darby-McClure contributed five kills each. Rachel Moran handed out 15 assists, while Kensley Jordan collected 12 digs.

The Bulldogs used a 5-0 run to take a 13-7 lead in the opening set. Stumpff and Holmquist each contributed a kill in the flurry. An Attaway kill and Holmquist block pushed the lead to eight at 16-8. A Saehler ace, followed by kills from Brewer and Stumpff made it 23-13. Newberry scored the next six points, cutting the lead to four on a Hayward kill. An Attaway kill made it 24-19, while a Holmquist kill ended the frame.

An Attaway kill and Saehler block, followed by an ace from sophomore Kori Adams (Ayden, N.C.) gave Wingate a 12-9 lead in the second set. A kill from Hayward cut the lead to two, but a Saehler kill, followed by a block from Attaway and Holmquist made it 19-13. Stumpff followed with a pair of kills to give the 'Dogs a 21-14 advantage, but back-to-back Hayward kills got the Wolves within three at 21-18. Attaway answered with a kill, while back-to-back Saehler kills made it 24-18. Saehler followed with a third straight kill to end the set. The Bulldogs hit .402 in the second set, with 15 kills and just two errors.

A Stumpff ace and Attaway kill, along with a block from Saehler and Attaway gave Wingate a 9-3 lead in the third frame. An ace from Jordan trimmed the lead to three at 11-8, but a kill from Phoebe Havenaar (Naperville, Ill.), followed by a Brewer ace and Stumpff kill made it 14-8. Three straight Newberry errors gave the Bulldogs a 17-10 lead. Blocks from Havenaar and Saehler made it 19-13, while a Hannah Givens (Greensburg, Ky.) kill and Stumpff ace put the 'Dogs on top 21-14. Kills from Givens and Saehler made it 24-17, while a kill from freshman Taylor Williams (Keedysville, Md.) capped the match.

Wingate hit .272 for the night, with 41 kills and 13 errors in 103 attacks. Newberry had 33 kills and 22 errors in 116 attacks, hitting .095. Saehler led the way with four blocks, while Holmquist and Attaway added three each. Stumpff had two of Wingate's five aces on the night.

The Bulldogs are back in action Saturday, traveling to Anderson for a 2 p.m. match.