Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University junior outside hitter Katie Bludau (Seabrook, Texas) piled up career highs of 17 kills and seven aces Friday night, leading the 25th-ranked Bulldogs to a 3-0 victory over Lenoir-Rhyne University in South Atlantic Conference volleyball action in Cuddy Arena. Wingate won by scores of 25-14, 25-18 and 25-21 to improve to 16-0 overall and 8-0 in the SAC. The Bulldogs have won all 24 sets they have played in Cuddy Arena this season. Lenoir-Rhyne falls to 4-10 overall and 2-5 in the conference.

Bludau needed just 28 swings to collect her 17 kills, committing only one error to hit .571 on the night. All-American Abby Saehler (Iowa City, Iowa) added eight kills and four digs, while Oakley Attaway (Orlando, Fla.) and Lynnlee Mather (McDonough, Ga.) contributed six kills apiece. Junior setter Rachel Lods (Lancaster, Calif.) handed out 19 assists, while freshman Rachel Alles (Tinley Park, Ill.) added 16 assists and five digs. Freshman Treslyn Ortiz (Texas City, Texas) collected 12 digs for the Bulldogs.

"Katie had an awesome match with her hitting and serving, both of which were impressive tonight," head coach Shelton Collier says. "Our team is well-aware we will need more production from our other positions to be at our best, but it was enjoyable to see Katie have such an outstanding performance."

Katrina Samuels and Samantha Bishop had six kills each to lead the Lenoir-Rhyne attack. Jaclyn Denny contributed five kills for the Bears, while Jessica Funk had 19 assists and seven digs.

Three consecutive aces from Bludau gave Wingate a 12-8 lead in the opening set. A pair of Mather kills helped the Bulldogs stretch the lead to eight, while a Mather block and Skylar Ricard (Greensboro, N.C.) ace made it 20-11. Back-to-back Bludau kills put the 'Dogs on top 24-14, while an ace from Alles ended the set.

An Attaway kill and Lods ace gave Wingate a 12-9 advantage in the second set. Funk trimmed the lead to one with a kill, but two more aces from Bludau, along with a Saehler block gave the Bulldogs an 18-14 lead. A Funk kill got the Bears within three at 21-18, but kills from Mather and Alles, along with another Bludau kill made it 24-18. An ace from Lods ended the frame.

A pair of kills from Hannah Givens (Greensburg, Ky.) gave the Bulldogs an early 7-2 lead in the third set. A Samuel kill trimmed the lead to three, but three kills and an ace from Bludau made it 14-8. A Denny kill got the Bears back within four, but the 'Dogs answered with a 5-0 run. Lods started the spurt with a kill, while Bludau capped it with back-to-back kills. Two more kills from Bludau made it 23-13, but five kills from Bishop helped LRU get within three at 23-20. Bludau responded with a kill to make it 24-20, while a Saehler kill ended the match.

The Bulldogs hit .248 on the night, with 43 kills and 16 errors in 109 attacks. Lenoir-Rhyne had 27 kills and 12 errors in 91 attacks, hitting .165. Mather led Wingate with a pair of solo blocks, while Bludau piled up seven of 14 Bulldog aces on the night.

Wingate is back in action Saturday, playing two matches in Cuddy Arena. The Bulldogs take on Brevard at 12 p.m., while hosting fifth-ranked and defending national champion Wheeling Jesuit at 5 p.m.