VIDEO | POST MATCH INTERVIEWS

Wingate, N.C.----The top-seeded and 14th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs won their second straight NCAA Southeast Region title Saturday evening, prevailing 3-1 against third-seeded Anderson University in Cuddy Arena. Wingate won by scores of 25-18, 20-25, 25-20 and 25-22 to capture the third region title in four years and eighth in program history, all coming since 2010. The 'Dogs move to 31-1 overall, winning 30 straight matches, while punching their ticket to the NCAA National Quarterfinals in Sioux Falls. Anderson falls to 23-8 overall.

KEY STATS

- Wingate had 55 kills and 17 errors in 155 attacks, hitting .245
- Anderson had 54 kills and 24 errors in 18- swings to hit .167
- Each team had eight aces
- The 'Dogs had a 13-7 advantage in blocks
- The Bulldogs had an 81-74 edge in digs

KEY BULLDOGS

- Gabby Saye hit .400 with 14 kills, three blocks and two digs
- Emily Johnson hit .478 with 12 kills, eight blocks and three aces
- Sydney Morland added 12 kills and four blocks, hitting .367
- Alanna Vavao contributed seven kills and four blocks
- Abby Mas notched five kills, four blocks and three digs
- Maya Van Heyst registered 46 assists, 11 digs, four kills, two aces and two blocks
- Maggie Fillauer piled up 22 digs, adding an assist and an ace
- Maddie Hoffman added 18 digs and two assists
- Rylee Tanner had 12 digs and an ace; Hailey Green added 11 digs and an ace

NOTES

- Eighth region title in program history for Wingate, all since 2010
- Seventh time the 'Dogs have won the title in Cuddy Arena
- Third title in the last four years, adding this to the 2022 and 2024 championships
- Wingate is making its 20th straight NCAA Tournament appearance
- The 'Dogs are 28-5 in Cuddy Arena in regional play
- This is the 12th time the Bulldogs have earned regional hosting duties
- Wingate is now 34-19 all-time in NCAA Tournament play
- This is the 14th time the Bulldogs have won at least 30 matches in a season
- The Bulldogs have played in the regional title match 11 times since the 2009 season
- WU also has region titles in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2024
- Wingate's eight championships are the most in the region; Flagler is second with three
- The 30-match winning streak is the second-longest in program history (32 in 2011)
- Hoffman, Saye, Van Heyst, Morland and Johnson earned All-Tourney honors

SET ONE

- An Ava Reeves kill gave Anderson a 7-5 lead in set one
- WU scored the next four, getting two Vavao kills and a Saye kill to take a 9-7 lead
- A 5-0 run, sparked by a kill and two blocks from Johnson made it 14-8
- Back-to-back Mas kills put the 'Dogs on top 18-11
- Back-to-back Morland kills made it 20-13
- Kills from Vavao and Johnson, along with a pair of Johnson blocks made it 24-18
- Saye's kill ended the frame

SET TWO

- Kills from Morland and Van Heyst gave the Bulldogs an 8-5 lead
- Kills from Vavao and Saye made it 13-9
- A Mas block and Saye kill put the 'Dogs on top 15-11
- AU scored the next four, with a Reeves kill tying it at 15
- A pair of Reeves kill gave the Trojans a 19-17 advantage
- Two Johnson kills cut the lead to one at 21-20
- An Elder kill and two Kaleigh Garren aces made it 24-20; another Garren ace finished the set

SET THREE

- A Campbell kill gave the Trojans a 9-5 lead in the third
- Wingate scored the next five, getting a kill and a block from Johnson to go on top 10-9
- Campbell's kill gave Anderson a 13-12 advantage
- The 'Dogs scored the next five, getting kills from Saye, Morland and Mas to take a 17-13 lead
- A Reeves kill pulled the Trojans back within two at 19-17
- Morland's kill stretched the lead back to four at 21-17
- A Maura Kindel block cut it back to two, but back-to-back AU errors made it 23-19
- Johnson's kill made it 24-20; Saye's kill ended the frame

SET FOUR

- Kills from Johnson and Saye, along with a Johnson ace gave the 'Dogs a 4-1 lead
- Back-to-back Campbell aces gave the Trojans a 7-5 advantage
- A block and two kills from Johnson put Wingate back on top 9-8
- A Reeves kill gave Anderson a 15-13 cushion
- Morland's block cut the lead to one, but Kindel's kill made it 17-14
- Vavao's kill made it 17-16, but a Kindel kill extended the AU lead to two
- A kill and an ace from Van Heyst tied it at 18
- Back-to-back Anderson errors gave the Bulldogs a 20-18 lead
- A Katy Smith ace tied it at 20
- A Johnson block and Saye kill made it 22-20, but a WU service error cut it back to one
- Saye's kill made it 23-21, but Campbell cut it back to one with a kill
- Saye and Morland teamed for a block to put the 'Dogs on top 24-22
- Morland ended the match with a kill

UP NEXT

- Wingate is onto the national quarterfinals for the third time in the last four years
- The national quarterfinals are in Sioux Falls, S.D. Thursday Dec. 11
- The national semifinals are Friday, with the championship match Saturday, Dec. 13
- The seeds for the national quarterfinals will be announced Sunday