Mars Hill, N.C.----The 24th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs dropped the opening set Friday night at Mars Hill University, but rallied to win three of the final four sets to pick up a 3-2 victory at Mars Hill University in South Atlantic Conference volleyball action. Wingate won by scores of 19-25, 25-16, 25-23, 18-25, 15-12 to improve to 18-1 overall and 10-0 in the SAC. Mars Hill falls to 2-11 overall and 1-9 in the conference.

All-American Abby Saehler (Iowa City, Iowa) had 16 kills, 18 digs and four blocks to lead the Wingate attack. Sophomore outside hitter Oakley Attaway (Orlando, Fla.) added 16 kills and 15 digs, while junior outside hitter Katie Bludau (Seabrook, Texas) contributed 15 kills and seven digs. Freshman middle blocker Lynnlee Mather (McDonough, Ga.) hit .300 with 11 kills, while classmate Rachel Alles (Tinley Park, Ill.) had 51 assists, 14 digs and eight kills. Freshman libero Treslyn Ortiz (Texas City, Texas) collected 24 digs for the Bulldogs.

"This was certainly one of our most difficult and challenging matches of the season," head coach Shelton Collier says. "Mars Hill played great and at several times tonight it appeared as if they were in control and would win the match. This was obviously a very important and much-needed win for our team."

Mary Kate Griffin had 12 kills and 23 digs to lead the Mars Hill attack. Maddie Spurgeon added 11 kills and five blocks, while Rebeca Butler had 10 kills for the Lions. Lauren Hochstetler contributed seven kills and 15 digs, while Andie Russell handed out 21 assists.

A kill and an ace from Griffin gave Mars Hill a 12-9 lead in the opening set. A kill from Hochstetler pushed the lead to four, but a Bludau kill got the Bulldogs within two at 15-13. Another Griffin kill gave the Lions a 19-15 edge, while a block from Hochstetler made it 21-16. A Hochstetler kill and Butler block made it 24-18, while a Butler kill ended the set.

A kill and an ace from Saehler gave Wingate an 8-3 lead in set two. A Butler kill and Wingate error got the Lions within two at 14-12, but kills from Attaway and Saehler made it 17-12. Kills from Bludau and Saehler, along with back-to-back aces from Alles made it 22-14, while a pair of Saehler kills made it 24-16. Mather capped the set with a kill.

Mars Hill used a 5-0 run to take a 13-10 lead in set three, getting a kill and a block from Griffin in the flurry. An Alles kill and Saehler block tied it at 13, but three Wingate errors gave the Lions a 16-13 advantage. A Spurgeon kill and two more Wingate errors gave Mars Hill a 19-15 lead, but kills from Attaway and Mather made it 19-18. A kill from Ellen Davis gave the Lions a 22-20 advantage, but a kill and an ace from Mather tied it at 22. Griffin put Mars Hill back on top with a kill, but a Bludau kill tied it at 23. Bludau followed with a kill to make it 24-23, while a block from Saehler and Taylor Williams (Keedysville, Md.) ended the frame.

A Spurgeon kill gave Mars Hill an 11-7 lead in set four. Kills from Saehler and Mather got Wingate within a point at 13-12, but kills from Butler and Davis made it 17-14. A Hochstetler kill gave the Lions a five-point lead, but kills from Attaway and Saehler made it 20-17. Spurgeon answered with a kill to help extend the lead to five, while another Spurgeon kill made it 24-18. A Wingate error ended the set, sending the match to a fifth frame.

Mars Hill scored the first three points of set five, but Wingate countered with a 6-0 run to take a 6-3 advantage. Sophomore Kimberly Hovey (Raleigh, N.C.) had two aces in the spurt, while Williams capped it with a kill. Mars Hill cut the lead to one on a Wingate error, but two Attaway kills helped the Bulldogs go on top 9-5. Kills from Attaway and Alles made it 11-7, while a Bludau kill and Rachel Lods (Lancaster, Calif.) ace made it 13-7. A kill from Alles made it 14-10, while another Alles kill ended the match.

Wingate hit .217 on the night, with 69 kills and 28 errors in 189 attacks. Mars Hill had 46 kills and 18 errors in 172 attacks, hitting .163. Saehler led the way with four blocks, while Hovey and Alles had two aces apiece.

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