Charlotte, N.C.----On the final day of the 2018 Queens Fall Classic, the Wingate University Bulldogs picked up a key victory over Augusta University in a battle of early-season unbeatens in NCAA Division II volleyball action, piling up 14.5 blocks and holding the Jaguars to a .049 hitting percentage. Wingate won by scores of 25-20, 17-25, 25-15 and 25-16 to improve to 5-0 overall, while the Jaguars fall to 5-1 on the year.

"This was a very significant win for us for so many reasons," head coach Shelton Collier says. "First, we really had to elevate our level of play to get out with a win today. Second, we had some very strong performances by a number of players. Third, Augusta is a strong Peach Belt Conference team, so our players were aware that this win was important in this regard as well."

Senior outside hitter Taylor Williams led the Wingate offense with a career-high 13 kills, adding five digs and four blocks. All-American Anna Holmquist also had 13 kills to go along with seven blocks, while fellow senior Phoebe Havenaar collected 11 kills and four blocks. Senior Hannah Givens registered eight kills, four digs and three blocks, while junior Lynnlee Mather chipped in with six kills and seven blocks. Junior setter Rachel Alles registered 47 assists, 10 digs, five kills and four blocks, while senior libero Kori Adams had 22 digs, five assists and three kills.

McKenzey Beck led the Augusta attack with eight kills, adding nine assists and nine digs. Jessica Hedrick had seven kills, with Chloe Allen and Savanna Gonzales registering six kills apiece. Cheryke Brian-Garmos had 17 assists and 11 digs, while Holland Martin picked up 17 digs.

A block from Allen gave the Jaguars an early 6-2 lead in set one, but Wingate scored eight of the next nine points, getting two kills and two blocks from Holmquist to take a 10-7 lead. Kills by Williams and Holmquist made it 13-9, while an Alles kill and Mather block gave the 'Dogs a 16-12 advantage. Augusta scored the next five points, taking a 17-16 lead on an Allen kill. Mather tied it at 17 with a kill, but Allen answered to put the Jaguars back on top 18-17. The Bulldogs responded by scoring six of the next seven points, getting two kills and a block from Holmquist along with an Ortiz ace to go on top 23-19. A kill from Williams made it 24-20, while a block from Holmquist and Alles ended the frame.

Augusta used a 7-1 run to take a 7-4 lead in the second set, but a Williams kill and Holmquist block put the 'Dogs on top 10-9. A Givens kill and Holmquist ace gave Wingate a 13-10 advantage, but Augusta countered with an 11-1 run, taking a 21-14 lead on a kill from Hedrick. An Allen block made it 24-17, while a Wingate error ended the frame and tied the match 1-1.

A block from Allen gave the Jaguars an 8-5 advantage in the third set, but Wingate countered with a 7-1 run, getting kills from Williams, Holmquist, Givens and Mather to take a 12-9 lead. The Bulldogs used another 7-1 run to take a 19-11 lead, with Givens contributing three kills and a block to the spurt. Kills from Havenaar and Holmquist, followed by a block from Alles and Holmquist made it 24-15, while an Alles kill ended the set.

Two kills and two blocks from Mather, along with an Alles ace helped Wingate race out to a 5-0 lead in the fourth frame. A block from Allen cut the lead to one, but kills from Holmquist and Givens pushed the lead back to three at 11-8. Kills from Alles, Givens and Havenaar extended the lead to five at 15-10, but an ace from Martin cut the lead to two at 15-13. A kill and a block from Holmquist pushed Wingate's lead back to five, but another Allen block got Augusta with three at 18-15. The Bulldogs countered with a 6-0 run to take a 24-15 advantage. Williams and Holmquist had two kills each in the key spurt, while another Holmquist kill ended the match.

Wingate hit .174 on the day, with 59 kills and 31 errors in 161 attacks. Augusta had 34 kills and 27 errors in 142 attacks, hitting .049. It is a season low for Augusta, who entered the match hitting .300 on the season. Alles had two of Wingate's five aces, while the 'Dogs allowed just one Augusta ace on the afternoon. Mather and Holmquist led the Bulldogs with seven blocks apiece.

Wingate is back in action Tuesday, hosting a tri-match against Barton and Francis Marion. The 'Dogs take on Barton at 3 p.m., then face FMU at 7 p.m. in Cuddy Arena.