Wingate, N.C.----The top-seeded and 25th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs opened SAC Tourney play with an emphatic 3-0 victory over fourth-seeded Limestone in the quarterfinal of the South Atlantic Conference volleyball tournament in Cuddy Arena. Wingate improves to 27-2 overall, advancing to the SAC Tourney semifinals, while the Saints fall to 10-12.

KEY STATS

- Wingate had 41 kills and just seven errors in 81 swings, hitting .420
- Limestone had 24 kills and 18 errors in 91 attacks, hitting .066
- The 'Dogs had a 40-27 advantage in digs
- The Bulldogs registered five of the seven aces
- WU held an 8-3 edge in blocks
- Wingate hit .600 in set two and .433 in the third frame
- Limestone in -.027 in the first frame
- The Saints did not have more than 10 kills in any set

KEY BULLDOGS

- Molly Lambillotte hit .286 with nine kills, six digs, an ace and a block
- Shannon Kasprak had 29 assists, nine kills, five digs, four blocks and an ace
- Lorna Stacherski hit .400 with six kills, seven digs and two blocks
- Gabby Saye added six kills, hitting .455
- Emily Johnson contributed four kills, hitting .375 while adding seven blocks
- Maggie Mullen had seven digs and three assists
- Taryn Pryce had nine digs and two aces

FIRST SET

- Kills from Saye and Kasprak gave Wingate a 10-5 lead in the first set
- Another Kasprak kill put the 'Dogs on top 13-6
- Johnson's block made it 16-8
- Two Lambillotte kills and a Kasprak kill made it 21-12
- A Victoria Wilform kill made it 24-15; Kasprak and Johnson teamed for a block to finish it

SECOND SET

- WU raced out to a 10-1 lead in the second frame
- Pryce had two aces in the spurt; Kasprak had two kills, Johnson had a kill and a block
- A Kasprak kill and Johnson ace made it 18-10
- WU scored the final seven of the frame behind Kasprak's serving
- Lambillotte had three early kills in the flurry
- A kill and a block from Rayah Givens made it 24-11; Lambillotte's kill ended it

THIRD SET

- A kill and an ace from Kasprak gave the 'Dogs an 8-4 lead
- A Rothani Allen block tied it at 14
- WU scored the next six, getting two Stacherski kills and a kill and a block from Johnson to make it 21-15
- A Saye kill and Johnson block made it 23-16; Emma Ahrens made it 24-16 with a kill
- Kasprak and Johnson finished it with a block

UP NEXT

- The Bulldogs are back in action Friday in the SAC Tournament semifinals
- Wingate will face Anderson at 6:30 p.m. in Rock Hill, S.C.
- The winner advances to the title match Saturday at 2 p.m. in Rock Hill
- The 'Dogs have won 12 of the last 16 SAC Tournament championships