Greeneville, Tenn.----The Wingate University Bulldogs won their 32nd consecutive SAC match Friday, sweeping the Pioneers of Tusculum College 3-0 in South Atlantic Conference volleyball action. Wingate won by scores of 25-22, 25-19 and 25-18 to improve to 13-1 overall and 2-0 in the SAC. Tusculum falls to 6-6 overall and 0-2 in the SAC.

Sophomore outside hitter Lauren Billo (Orland Park, Ill) led the Bulldogs with 10 kills. Junior middle blocker Rebecca Bloemer (Louisville, Ky.) added seven kills, while junior middle blocker Stormi Gale (Richmond, Texas) chipped in with five kills and 10 digs. Sophomore setter Liz Willis (Raleigh, N.C.) collected 30 assists and eight digs, while sophomore libero Maggie Malone (Chicago, Ill.) contributed 10 digs.

Freshman outside hitter Bailee Price (Fort Wayne, Ind.) led the Pioneers with 11 kills, while senior outside hitter Gina Coffaro (Cincinnati, Ohio) added eight kills and 15 digs. Sophomore setter Peyton Colcough (Manassas, Va.) collected 32 assists and six digs.

A kill from Gale, followed by an ace from senior defensive specialist Brittany Horner (Roxboro, N.C.) gave the Bulldogs a 16-13 lead in the first set. The Pioneers cut it to 16-15 on a kill from sophomore outside hitter Carly Swisher (Fort Collins, Colo.). Kills from Billo and Bloemer gave Wingate its largest lead of the set at 20-16. Tusculum battled back to cut it to one at 22-21 on an ace from Colcough. Kills from senior outside hitter Jacki Emmenecker (Perrysburg, Ohio) and Malone made it 24-21. Willis finished the first set with a kill.

The Bulldogs used a 4-0 run to take an 18-14 lead in the second set. Bloemer had a pair of kills to spark the surge. Kills from Billo and sophomore outside hitter Jenny O’Brien (Matthews, N.C.), followed by a block from Bloemer and Emmenecker made it 22-16. Gale had a pair of late kills to finish the second set.

Wingate took a 15-11 lead on a block from O’Brien and freshman middle blocker Grace Krauser (Louisville, Ky.). A pair of kills from Gale made it 17-13. Tusculum cut the lead to two at 20-18 on a kill from Price. The Bulldogs answered by scoring the final five points of the set. Krauser and O’Brien had two kills each in the final spurt.

The visiting Bulldogs hit .311 for the match, collecting 44 kills against seven errors in 119 attacks. Tusculum had 40 kills and 15 errors in 116 attacks for a .216 hitting percentage. Gale and Horner had two aces each for the Bulldogs.

Wingate is back in action Saturday, taking on Mars Hill College at 3 p.m. (please note new match time). The Bulldogs return home Wednesday, hosting Brevard College at 7 p.m. Tusculum hosts Catawba College Saturday at 2 p.m.

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