Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs swept the Pioneers of Tusculum College 3-0 in South Atlantic Conference volleyball action Friday night in Cuddy Arena. The Bulldogs won by scores of 25-17, 25-23 and 25-15 to improve to 22-1 overall and 10-0 in the SAC. The Bulldogs have won 40 consecutive SAC matches. Tusculum falls to 14-10 overall and 5-5 in the SAC.

Senior outside hitter Jacki Emmenecker (Perrysburg, Ohio) led the Wingate attack with 14 kills, while hitting .444 for the match. Junior middle blocker Stormi Gale (Richmond, Texas) added 10 kills and five digs with a .333 hitting percentage, while junior outside hitter Lauren Billo (Orland Park, Ill.) contributed eight kills.

Bulldog sophomore setter Liz Willis (Raleigh, N.C.) collected 29 assists and eight digs. Sophomore libero Maggie Malone (Chicago, Ill.) racked up a match-high 16 digs, while senior defensive specialist Brittany Horner (Roxboro, N.C.) chipped in with 11 digs.

Freshman outside hitter Bailee Price (Fort Wayne, Ind.) led the Pioneers with eight kills and 13 digs. Freshman middle blocker Alyssa Raterman (Urbana, Ohio) and senior outside hitter Gina Coffaro (Cincinnati, Ohio) posted six kills each. Sophomore setter Peyton Colclough (Manassas, Va.) collected 20 assist and nine digs.

The Bulldogs jumped out to an 8-1 lead in the first set, getting a pair of kills from Emmenecker and two aces from Horner. A pair of kills from Coffaro, to go along with an ace from sophomore outside hitter Carly Swisher (Fort Collins, Colo.) cut the lead to 12-8. The Bulldogs would take control of the set up with a 7-0 run to make it 22-10. Junior middle blocker Rebecca Bloemer (Louisville, Ky.) had a pair of kills and a block in the spurt. Emmenecker capped the set with a kill.

A pair of Billo kills, along with an ace from Willis, put Wingate on top 13-8 in the second set. The Pioneers fought back to tie the frame at 17, getting blocks from Coffaro and freshman outside hitter Sam Underwood (Muncie, Ind.). A Bloemer kill gave the Bulldogs a 20-18 lead.

Tusculum again had the answer, getting a kill and a service ace from Price to take a 22-21 lead. A kill from Raterman gave the Pioneers a 23-22 advantage. Wingate answered with a kill from freshman middle blocker Grace Krauser (Louisville, Ky.) and a Tusculum error to take a 24-23 lead. Emmenecker finished the set with a kill.

An 8-0 run gave the Bulldogs a 16-7 lead in the final set. Emmenecker had a block and a kill in the spurt, while Wingate took advantage of five Tusculum errors. A Billo kill and an ace from sophomore outside hitter Janice Ehorn (Orange, Conn.) made it 22-12. The lead would not go below nine the rest of the way, with Wingate finishing the match on a Tusculum error.

The Bulldogs hit .318 for the match, collecting 49 kills and eight errors in 129 attacks. Tusculum had 31 kills and 16 errors in 113 attacks for a .133 hitting percentage. Wingate had five aces on the night, led by Horner with two.

The Bulldogs are back in action Saturday, hosting Mars Hill College at 5 p.m. Wingate will take on Pfeiffer University Sunday night at 7 p.m. The Wingate-Pfeiffer match will be played at Carolina Courts in Indian Trail. Tusculum returns to action Saturday, traveling to Catawba College for a 2 p.m. start.

(Wingate University assistant sports information director Hugh Patton wrote this article. Patton is a 2006 Wingate grad with a B.A. degree in Communication Studies.)