Wingate, N.C.----The top-seeded and 20th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs swept past second-seeded Lander University Sunday afternoon in the championship match of the 2024 NCAA Southeast Regional volleyball tournament in Cuddy Arena. Wingate won by scores of 25-17, 25-18 and 25-23 to improve to 31-2 overall, capturing seventh regional title in program history to punch a ticket to the national quarterfinals. The Bearcats wrap up their season at 22-6.

KEY STATS

- Wingate had 43 kills and 15 errors in 131 attacks, hitting .214
- Lander had 36 kills and 19 errors in 140 swings to hit .121
- The Bulldogs held a 7.5-5 advantage in blocks
- The 'Dogs had four of the six aces
- Wingate held a 73-68 edge in digs
- WU had at least 14 kills in each set, with 15 in the final frame

KEY BULLDOGS

- Elsa Lamphere had 11 kills, nine digs and an ace, hitting .476
- Emily Johnson had eight kills, three blocks, two digs and an ace
- Sydney Morland contributed seven kills and four blocks
- Gabby Saye had six kills, five digs and four blocks
- Maya Van Heyst piled up six kills, 19 assists, 17 digs and three blocks
- Maddie Hoffman picked up 18 digs, adding seven assists
- Katie Jamerson collected 12 assists, 12 digs and two aces

NOTES

- Seventh region title in program history for Wingate, all since 2010
- Sixth time the 'Dogs have won the title in Cuddy Arena
- Second title in the last three years, adding this to the 2022 championship
- Wingate is making its 19th straight NCAA Tournament appearance
- The 'Dogs are 25-5 in Cuddy Arena in regional play
- This is the 11th time the Bulldogs have earned regional hosting duties
- Wingate is now 31-19 all-time in NCAA Tournament play
- This is the 13th time the Bulldogs have won at least 30 matches in a season
- The Bulldogs have played in the regional title match 10 times since the 2009 season
- WU also has region titles in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018 and 2022
- Wingate's seven championships are the most in the region; Flagler is second with three
- The Bulldogs have won 23 straight matches
- Wingate has won 52 of its last 54 sets on the year
- Hoffman, Saye, Van Heyst, Morland and Johnson earned All-Tourney honors

SET ONE

- A Madde Blake kill gave Lander an 8-5 lead
- Katie Miller's kill made it 10-6
- Wingate scored the next six, getting kills from Stacherski, Saye, Lamphere and Johnson
- Kills from Johnson and Morland, along with a Jamerson ace made it 16-12
- Morland's kill put the 'Dogs on top 19-14
- A kill and a block from Saye made it 24-16; Lamphere's kill ended the set

SET TWO

- Two Saye kills and a Johnson kill helped Wingate jump out to a 6-1 lead
- Kills from Morland and Lamphere, along with a Jamerson ace made it 10-2
- Miller's kill cut the lead to five at 14-9, but WU scored the next four
- Saye had a kill and a block in the flurry with Lamphere adding a kill
- A Morland block and Stacherski kill made it 22-15, while Johnson's kill made it 24-18
- A Lander error ended the frame, giving the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead

SET THREE

- Two Morland kills helped Wingate jump out to a 5-2 lead in the third
- Lauren Dow's kill capped a 6-0 run to give Lander a 10-6 advantage
- A Miller kill made it 13-7, but the 'Dogs scored the next five to cut the lead to one
- Johnson and Lamphere had two kills apiece in the flurry
- Lamphere's kill tied it at 15, but a Karson Browning block put the Bearcats back on top
- WU scored the next four, getting a kill and an ace from Lamphere to take a 19-16 lead
- Blake's kill cut the lead to one at 19-18
- The 'Dogs scored the next five to go on top 24-18
- Stacherski had two kills in the spurt, while a Van Heyst kill sent it to match point
- Lander scored the next five, making it 24-23 on back-to-back Miller kills
- A Lander service error ended the match

UP NEXT

- Wingate is off to South Dakota for the national quarterfinals
- The full schedule and bracket will be announced this week on NCAA.com
- The quarterfinals will be Thursday, Dec. 12 in Sioux Falls, S.D.
- The semifinals are Friday, with the national title match set for Saturday
- Every match will take place at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls

ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM 
Mia Saavedra, Augusta
Madelyn Eden, Augusta
Molly Boyd, Flagler
Jordan Berglin, Flagler
Katie Miller, Lander
Lauren Dow, Lander
Madde Blake, Lander
Emmi Cheek, Lander
Maya Van Heyst, Wingate
Gabby Saye, Wingate
Maddie Hoffman, Wingate
Sydney Morland, Wingate
Emily Johnson, Wingate