Wingate, N.C.----The 23rd-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs swept visiting Tusculum College in South Atlantic Conference volleyball action Friday night in Cuddy Arena. Wingate won by scores of 25-17, 25-22 and 25-22 to improve to 6-1 overall and 1-0 in the SAC. The Pioneers, who opened the season with a 3-2 win at No. 25 Armstrong State, falls to 2-2 overall and 0-1 in the conference.

Senior right-side hitter Shelly Stumpff (Iowa City, Iowa) had 14 kills, ­nine digs and three blocks, hitting .324. Junior middle blocker Abby Saehler (Iowa City, Iowa) added 13 kills, seven digs and four blocks, hitting .333. Sophomore outside hitter Katie Bludau (Seabrook, Texas) had eight kills, while junior middle blocker Tyler Smith (Aiken, S.C.) hit .333 with six kills and four blocks. Senior setter Iris Brewer (Cincinnati, Ohio) piled up 35 assists and 14 digs, while freshman libero Kimberly Hovey (Raleigh, N.C.) collected 17 digs.

"This was a great night for us for a number of reasons," head coach Shelton Collier says. "First, we had a great match environment and great crowd. Second, Tusculum is a very good team and we had to elevate our level of play to win in three sets. We were really pleased to be able to step up and win 3-0. We are making progress and tonight was a big step for us."

Danae Stauffer had 11 kills with a .429 hitting percentage to lead the Tusculum attack. Rachel Garnett added nine kills, while Sabrina Schleuger had seven kills and 10 digs. Hannah Berling registered 34 assists and 10 digs, while Melissa Mazur piled up 23 digs.

Wingate used a 4-0 run to take a 14-10 lead in the opening set, getting a pair of Bludau kills. A Schleuger kill helped trim the lead to two, but a block and two kills from Smith put the 'Dogs on top 17-12. A Stauffer kill got TC back within three, but Wingate responded with a 5-0 run to go on top 23-15. A Stumpff kill made it 24-16, while a Saehler kill capped the set.

A kill and an ace from Stumpff, followed by a Saehler kill gave the Bulldogs a 6-2 lead in the second frame. Back-to-back Stumpff kills made it 13-8, while a Saehler block made it 17-11. A kill from Laryssa Welch got the Pioneers within three at 17-14, but kills from Saehler, Bludau and Brewer made it 20-15. Tusculum responded by scoring the next five points to tie it at 20 on a Garnett kill. A Smith kill and Kori Adams (Ayden, N.C.) ace made it 23-21. Stauffer answered with a kill to make it 23-22, but a Saehler kill put the 'Dogs on top 24-22. A block from Saehler and freshman Oakley Attaway (Belle Isle, Fla.) finished the second set.

A block and a kill from Bludau put Wingate on top 11-9 in the final frame. A Stauffer kill and Madison Shumaker ace gave Tusculum a 14-12 edge. A Stumpff kill got Wingate within one, but a Welch kill put the Pioneers ahead by three. A pair of Saehler kills got Wingate back within one at 18-17, but a Schleuger kill and Wingate error put Tusculum on top 20-17. The 'Dogs scored the next three points to tie it, getting a Bludau kill and Brewer ace, while a block from Stumpff and Smith tied it at 20. Stauffer put Wingate back on top 21-20, but the Bulldogs scored the next four points to take the lead. Stumpff started it with back-to-back kills to give Wingate the lead, while a TC error made it 23-21. Stumpff added another kill to make it 24-21, while a Tusculum error ended the match.

Wingate hit .270 for the match, with 47 kills and 13 errors in 126 attacks. Tusculum had 36 kills and 14 errors in 120 attacks, hitting .183. Stumpff had two of Wingate's six aces on the night, while Saehler and Smith led the way with four blocks each.

The Bulldogs are back in action Saturday, hosting Mars Hill at 1 p.m.