Wingate, N.C.----The top-seeded Wingate University Bulldogs swept past the eighth-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne University Bears Friday night, prevailing 3-0 in front of a raucous Cuddy Arena crowd. Wingate won by scores of 25-19, 25-16 and 26-24 to improve to 28-3 overall, advancing to Saturday's regional semifinal to take on Anderson at 7:30 p.m. The Bears end their season at 21-11.

KEY STATS

- Wingate had 44 kills and 12 digs in 127 attacks, hitting .252
- Lenoir-Rhyne had 30 kills and 15 errors in 127 swings to hit .118
- The Bulldogs held a 75-62 advantage in digs
- The 'Dogs had 10 of the 13 aces on the night
- Wingate held a 7-5 advantage in blocks
- The Bulldogs had at least 14 kills in every set, hitting over .230 in all three frames
- The 'Dogs hit .278 in the opening set, while collecting 16 kills in set three
- LR never hit over .140 in a set, with under 10 kills in each of the first two frames

KEY BULLDOGS

- Gabby Saye hit .333 with 10 kills, three digs and two blocks
- Lorna Stacherski added 10 kills, four digs and a pair of blocks
- Amber Rowoldt contributed seven kills, 14 digs and two blocks
- Sydney Morland also had seven kills
- Maggie Young collected five kills and four aces, adding a block
- Emily Johnson also had five kills to go along with three blocks
- Katie Jamerson had 20 assists, 15 digs and two aces
- May Van Heyst also notched a double-double with 14 assists and 10 digs
- Maggie Mullen led all players with 17 digs, adding eight assists and an ace
- Taryn Pryce added eight digs and three aces

NOTES
- Wingate is making its SAC-record 18th straight NCAA Tourney appearance and 19th overall
- The 'Dogs are hosting the NCAA Regionals for the 10th time since 2008
- The Bulldogs improve to 28-18 all-time in NCAA Tournament play
- The 'Dogs are now 22-4 in NCAA Tourney matches in Cuddy Arena
- WU now has at least one tournament win in 13 of the last 15 seasons
- The Bulldogs lead the SAC in NCAA Tourney appearances, wins and region titles
- Wingate swept all three matches against Lenoir-Rhyne this year

SET ONE

- A Kiley Redfern kill gave Lenoir-Rhyne an 8-4 lead in the opening frame
- Wingate scored the next four, tying it at eight on three straight Young aces
- The 'Dogs added a 6-0 run, getting two Saye kills along with a block and a kill from Rowoldt
- An Emmaleigh Allen kill pulled the Bears to within one at 15-14
- The Bulldogs scored the next five, getting a kill and a block from Young to go on top 20-14
- Kills from Saye and Morland made it 23-17
- Rowoldt's kill put the 'Dogs on top 24-18; another Rowoldt kill ended the set

SET TWO

- Two Stacherski kills gave the Bulldogs a 7-3 advantage
- Kills from Morland and Rowoldt, along with a Pryce ace made it 11-5
- Back-to-back Jamerson aces gave Wingate a 16-8 lead
- A Saye kill and back-to-back Stacherski kills made it 24-16
- Saye and Johnson teamed for a block to end the set

SET THREE

- The third frame featured 12 ties and seven lead changes
- Kills from Stacherski and Morland, along with a Pryce ace put WU on top 9-6
- A kill and a block from Rowoldt, along with Young's ace made it 12-7
- LR used a 6-0 run to take an 18-14 lead on a kill from Allen
- Kills from Saye and Stacherski, along with a Mullen ace tied it at 18
- Allen's kill put the Bears back on top 20-19
- A Young kill and Pryce ace gave Wingate a 21-20 lead
- Kills from Kathy Peter and Aasia McNeill gave LR a 22-21 advantage
- A Sydney Karjala kill put the Bears on top 24-23, but a Johnson kill tied it at 24
- Stacherski followed with a kill to give the Bulldogs a 25-24 advantage
- Stacherski ended the match with a kill

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Saturday, hosting Anderson at 7:30 p.m. in the regional semis
- The winner will advance to Sunday's region title match at 3 p.m. in Cuddy Arena
- Saturday's first semifinal will feature Augusta and Lander at 5 p.m. in Cuddy
- The Bulldogs are looking to advance to the region title match for the 10th time since 2009