Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs wrapped up a 4-0 week Saturday afternoon, defeating visiting Mars Hill University 3-1 in South Atlantic Conference volleyball action in Cuddy Arena. Wingate won by scores of 25-22, 25-19, 20-25 and 25-22 to improve to 7-1 overall and 2-0 in the SAC. The Lions fall to 3-3 overall and 1-1 in the conference.

Senior right-side hitter Shelly Stumpff (Iowa City, Iowa) had 14 kills and 13 digs to lead the Wingate attack. Junior middle blocker Abby Saehler (Iowa City, Iowa) added 13 kills, five digs and three blocks, while sophomore outside hitter Katie Bludau (Seabrook, Texas) had 10 kills and two aces. Freshman outside hitter Oakley Attaway (Belle Isle, Fla.) added seven kills, while Senior Iris Brewer (Cincinnati, Ohio) notched 17 assists in two sets of action. Sophomore Kori Adams (Ayden, N.C.) piled up 33 assists and 18 digs, while freshman libero Kimberly Hovey (Raleigh, N.C.) collected 28 digs.

"Today showed that we have some potential to be a good team, but also showed we will really need to improve in some specific areas if we plan on reaching our goals this year," head coach Shelton Collier says. "We wanted to create some opportunities for some players with some different lineups so it was good for us to win playing a variety of combinations today."

Lauren Hochstetler had 13 kills and 10 digs to lead the MHU attack. Rebecca Butler, Maddie Spurgeon and Mary Kate Griffin had eight kills each, with Butler adding 22 digs. Andie Russell handed out 25 assists, while Victoria Kaiser collected 24 digs.

Mars Hill jumped out to an 8-3 lead in set one on a Griffin kill. Back-to-back Bludau kills cut the lead to two, while a Bludau ace tied it at 11. A Spurgeon kill put the Lions on top 14-12, but two Saehler kills, along with a Bludau kill gave Wingate a 16-15 lead. A pair of Wingate errors gave Mars Hill a 21-20 advantage. Wingate regained the lead on three consecutive MHU errors. Another Lion error gave the 'Dogs a 24-22 lead, while a Bludau kill capped the set.

A Kaiser ace gave Mars Hill an 11-9 lead in the second frame. Kills from Stumpff and Hannah Givens (Greensburg, Ky.), along with a Saehler block gave the Bulldogs a 15-12 lead. Kills from Attaway and Saehler put Wingate on top 19-14, but a Hochstetler kill got MHU within four at 21-17. A Mars Hill error and Stumpff kill gave the 'Dogs a 24-18 lead, while another MHU error capped the frame.

A kill and an ace from Butler put Mars Hill on top 10-8 in set three. Bludau answered with a kill to cut the lead to one, but a pair of Hochstetler kills sparked a 4-0 run, giving the Lions a 14-9 advantage. Two Butler kills, along with two Wingate errors made it 21-12. A Stumpff kill and Saehler ace cut the lead to five, but a Butler kill and Hochstetler block made it 24-17. A Wingate error ended the set.

Kills from Saehler, Bludau, Stumpff and Tyler Smith (Aiken, S.C.) gave the Bulldogs an early 4-0 lead in set four. Kills from Stumpff and Saehler made it 11-6, but a Butler block and Hochstetler kill sparked a 4-0 run, getting the Lions within one. Kills from Bludau and Stumpff helped stretch the Wingate lead to four at 16-12, but a Butler kill capped a 4-0 MHU flurry, tying it at 16. A kill and a block from Griffin gave Mars Hill an 18-17 lead, but kills from Stumpff and Saehler put the 'Dogs back on top. A Saehler block, followed by back-to-back Saehler kills gave Wingate a 22-19 cushion. A block from Butler helped the Lions trim the lead to two, but a Bludau kill made it 24-21. Stumpff capped the match with a kill.

Wingate hit .200 for the match, with 59 kills and 25 errors in 170 attacks. Mars Hill had 43 kills and 18 errors in 153 attacks, hitting .163. Bludau and Stumpff had two of Wingate's six aces.

Wingate is back in action Sept. 18, traveling to Lenoir-Rhyne for a 7 p.m. start.