Charlotte, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs remained perfect on the season, picking up a 3-1 victory at Queens University in South Atlantic Conference volleyball action Friday night. Wingate won by scores of 27-25, 25-20, 18-25 and 25-23 to move to 10-0 overall and 2-0 in the SAC. The Royals fall to 4-3 overall and 2-1 in the conference.

Senior middle blocker Tyler Smith (Aiken, S.C.) had 11 kills to lead the Wingate attack, hitting .348 while adding three blocks. All-American Abby Saehler (Iowa City, Iowa) contributed 10 kills, three blocks and three digs, while sophomore outside hitters Taylor Williams (Keedysville, Md.) and Oakley Attaway (Orlando, Fla.) added eight and seven kills, respectively. Freshman Rachel Alles (Tinley Park, Ill.) registered 22 assists and 10 digs, while junior Rachel Lods (Lancaster, Calif.) handed out 14 assists. Freshman Treslyn Ortiz (Texas City, Texas) piled up 21 digs for the Bulldogs.

"This was by far our worst offensive match of the season as a team," head coach Shelton Collier says. "Part of it was Queens playing well and certainly part of it was us not executing very well. We did manage to win two sets by two points so that was great for us. We have a big match at Catawba tomorrow so our plan is to learn some things from tonight and play much better tomorrow."

Meredith Jones had 20 kills to lead the Queens attack, adding eight digs and four blocks. Jessica Raines had eight kills, while Sydney Kunz, Hannah Lewis and Rebecca Cochran chipped in with six kills apiece. Kunz had 31 assists and 13 digs, while Megan Mancini collected 18 digs.

A Jones kill and Wingate error gave the Royals an 8-3 lead in set one, but a Smith kill got the 'Dogs within two at 9-7. A Jones kill and two Bulldog errors pushed the lead back to four, but a block from Saehler and Lynnlee Mather (McDonough, Ga.) made it 13-11. Two more kills from Jones extended the Queens lead back to four, but two Saehler kills and an Attaway kill made it 20-19. A Mather block and two Queens errors gave Wingate a 22-21 advantage, while a Smith kill made it 23-22. The Royals tied it at 23 on a Jones kill, but a Williams kill put the 'Dogs back on top. Jones tied it at 25 with a kill, but Wingate regained the lead on another kill from Williams. A block from Mather and Lods ended the first set.

Back-to-back kills from Williams gave the Bulldogs an 11-8 lead in set two. An ace from Ortiz pushed the lead to four, but two kills and a block from Raines tied it at 13. Wingate countered with a 6-0 run, getting a kill and a block from Mather to go on top 19-13. Kills from Attaway and Smith put Wingate on top 22-15, while another Smith kill made it 24-19. A Queens error ended the frame.

The Royals used a 5-0 run to take a 16-10 lead in set three. Lewis had a pair of kills in the flurry. Kills from Smith and Attaway got Wingate to within two at 17-15, but a kill and a block from Jones pushed the Queens advantage back to seven at 22-15. A Kunz kill made it 24-16, while a Jones kill ended the frame.

Two Smith kills and an Ortiz ace gave Wingate an 11-8 lead in set four. A Mather block and two Queens errors made it 14-9, but a Cochran ace and Kunz kill made it 16-14. Two Smith kills, along with an Attaway kill pushed the advantage back to six, but a kill and a block from Raines got the Royals back within three at 21-18. Kills from Smith and Williams made it 23-20, but a Kunz kill and Cochran ace made it 23-23. Mather answered with a kill, while a Saehler kill ended the match.

Wingate hit .075 for the match, with 42 kills and 30 errors in 159 attacks. Queens had 48 kills and 39 errors in 162 attacks, hitting .056. Mather led the way with six blocks for the Bulldogs, while Ortiz collected two of Wingate's five aces on the night.

The Bulldogs are back in action Saturday, traveling to Catawba for a 5 p.m. start.