Wingate, N.C.----The 10-time defending South Atlantic Conference champion Wingate University Bulldogs opened league play with a 3-0 victory over visiting Coker College Tuesday night in Cuddy Arena. Wingate won by scores of 25-20, 25-10 and 25-19 to improve to 9-0 overall and 1-0 in the conference. The Cobras fall to 6-2 overall and 0-2 in the SAC.

Freshman middle blocker Lynnlee Mather (McDonough, Ga.) had eight kills and six blocks to lead the Bulldogs, hitting .500 on the night. Sophomore outside hitter Katie Bludau (Seabrook, Texas) added seven kills with a .278 hitting percentage, while senior Tyler Smith (Aiken, S.C.) and sophomore Oakley Attaway (Orlando, Fla.) contributed six kills apiece. Freshman setter Rachel Alles (Tinley Park, Ill.) had 20 assists, three kills and three digs in two sets of action, while junior Rachel Lods (Lancaster, Calif.) handed out 18 assists in the third set. Freshman libero Treslyn Ortiz (Texas City, Texas) collected 14 digs for the Bulldogs.

"It was great to have Lynnlee step up and play well tonight, in addition to some other players having solid matches," head coach Shelton Collier says. "We had four really tough matches this past weekend and learned a lot, so it was good for us to win in three sets tonight."

Christen Bragg had 18 assists, seven kills, six digs and three blocks to lead the Coker attack. Megan Hardy added seven kills with a .750 hitting percentage, while Alexis Berles contributed six kills and three blocks for the Cobras. Missy Reid collected 12 digs for Coker.

The first set saw the Cobras jump out to a 10-5 lead on a Bragg kill and Madison Bingle ace. A kill from Berles pushed the lead to six, but a pair of Taylor Williams (Keedysville, Md.) kills, along with kills from Bludau and Abby Saehler (Iowa City, Iowa) got the 'Dogs to within one at 16-15. A Smith kill and Coker error tied it at 17, while an Alles kill and another Cobra error put Wingate on top by two. A Bludau kill and two more Coker errors made it 22-19, while a Mather block made it 24-20. Alles capped the set with a kill.

Two aces from Attaway, along with a block from Smith and Alles put Wingate on top 10-4 in set two. A Greysen Newberry kill got the Cobras within four, but the Bulldogs countered with an 8-0 run. Mather had a kill and two blocks in the flurry, while an Alles ace made it 19-7. A kill from Hannah Givens (Greensburg, Ky.) gave Wingate a 21-9 advantage, while kills from Mather and Attaway made it 24-10. Attaway ended the second frame with a kill.

Kills from Mather, Bludau and Givens put Wingate on top 11-8 in the third set. A pair of Givens kills stretched the lead to four, but kills from Hardy and Bingle got Coker within two at 15-13. Attaway and Bludau responded with kills, while another Bludau kill gave Wingate a 19-14 edge. A kill and a block from Mather made it 21-15, while kills from Mather and Givens put the 'Dogs on top 24-18. Smith ended the match with a kill. Wingate hit .472 in the final frame, with 18 kills and just one error.

The Bulldogs hit .333 on the night, with 43 kills and nine errors in 102 attacks. Coker had 32 kills and 17 errors in 104 attacks, hitting .144. Mather's six blocks led the way, while Saehler and Smith added three blocks apiece. Alles and Attaway led Wingate with two aces each.

The Bulldogs are back in action Friday, traveling to Queens for a 7 p.m. start.