Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs clinched the outright regular season SAC title Saturday evening, sweeping Anderson University in South Atlantic Conference volleyball action in Cuddy Arena. Wingate won by scores of 25-16, 25-19 and 30-28 to improve to 26-3 overall and 20-2 in the SAC. The 10-time defending regular season SAC champs will be the number one seed in next week's conference tournament. Anderson ends the regular season 11-17 overall and 9-13 in the conference.

Sophomore outside hitter Katie Bludau (Seabrook, Texas) piled up a career-high 16 kills, hitting .351 while adding six digs and two blocks. Senior right-side hitter Shelly Stumpff (Iowa City, Iowa) added 15 kills and 15 digs, hitting .353. Freshman outside hitter Oakley Attaway (Belle Isle, Fla.) contributed nine kills with a .381 hitting percentage, while freshmen middle blockers Phoebe Havenaar (Naperville, Ill.) and Anna Holmquist (Lincoln, Neb.) each had six kills. Havenaar hit .455 with five digs and two blocks, while Holmquist hit .385 with three blocks. Senior setter Iris Brewer (Cincinnati, Ohio) handed out 28 assists in two sets of action, while freshman Kimberly Hovey (Raleigh, N.C.) collected 17 digs.

"Winning 10 consecutive regular season championships is an amazing achievement by our Wingate program," head coach Shelton Collier says. "To grind through 10 long seasons and find different ways to finish ahead of every other team in the conference in each of those 10 years is a very special accomplishment for sure. As for this year's team, we certainly have had our struggles with inconsistency and have had to adjust to playing two freshman middle blockers in place of our two veteran injured starters, so it is rewarding that somehow we found a way earn the conference title with this team, this year."

Tinsley Hallman had seven kills and 10 digs to lead the Anderson attack. Priscilla Irizarry had 26 assists, eight digs and seven kills, while Marissa Mitter contributed six kills and 10 digs. Jessica Harris and Serena Jackson had five kills apiece, while Emily Conard collected 17 digs.

A Havenaar kill, followed by back-to-back Attaway kills gave the Bulldogs a 10-5 lead in set one. A block and two kills from Stumpff put the 'Dogs on top 14-8, but a Harris kill helped Anderson get within three at 15-12. A Havenaar kill and two Stumpff kills made it 21-14, while another Stumpff kill, followed by a Bludau kill made it 24-16. Bludau capped the frame with a kill. Wingate hit .378 in the first set, with 21 kills and four errors in 45 attacks.

A Harris kill gave the Trojans a 7-4 lead in set two. A Stumpff kill got Wingate within one, while back-to-back Bludau kills gave the 'Dogs an 11-10 lead. A Bludau kill put Wingate on top 15-13, but a kill from Jayln Knight got the Trojans within one. A Brewer kill and Holmquist ace put the Bulldogs on top 18-14, while kills from Bludau and Havenaar made it 22-17. Back-to-back Bludau kills gave Wingate a 24-18 lead, while an Anderson error ended the frame. The Bulldogs hit .455 in the second set, with 16 kills and just one error in 33 swings.

The third set stayed tight throughout, featuring 15 ties and 10 lead changes. A Bludau kill and Holmquist block gave Wingate a 14-11 lead, but Anderson scored the next four points, taking the lead on a Mitter ace. Kills from Attaway and Stumpff gave the Bulldogs a 19-18 advantage, but the Trojans scored the next three points, going on top 21-19 on a kill from Allison Gaminde. A pair of Stumpff kills helped Wingate tie it at 22, while a Bludau kill and Anderson error gave Wingate a 24-23 lead. Back-to-back Bulldog errors put the Trojans back on top, but a Bludau kill and Anderson error gave the 'Dogs a 26-25 lead. A Mitter kill and Wingate error put the Trojans on top 27-26, but a service error, followed by a block from Havenaar gave Wingate a 28-27 lead. A kill from Irizarry tied it at 28, but an Attaway kill put Wingate back on top. The Bulldogs claimed the match on a kill from freshman setter Megan Schildmeyer (St. Charles, Ill.).

Wingate hit .376 for the match, with 56 kills and nine errors in 125 attacks. Anderson had 35 kills and 14 errors in 131 attacks, hitting .160 for the match. Holmquist's three blocks were a match high.

The Bulldogs are back in action Friday, facing eighth-seeded Brevard in the opening round of the 2015 SAC Tournament, which will be hosted by Anderson. Wingate will be looking to win a 10th consecutive SAC Tournament title.