ROCK HILL, S.C. – In a back-and-forth battle that looked more like a championship bout than a semifinal matchup, the third-seeded Anderson University volleyball team upended No. 2 seed and defending champion Wingate, 3-2 (25-23, 20-25, 25-16, 15-10) in the SAC Championship semifinals, Friday night at the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center.

"I was really proud of the team's mental toughness tonight," said Anderson head coach Todd Hay. "Wingate just puts so much pressure on you with their offensive speed and blocking that you often don't know if you're coming or going. But the team stayed calm in the huddle prior to set five and said we will do this. It was one of the best sets we played all year. Thanks to everyone who came out and supported the team and we'll see you tomorrow!"

Anderson improved to 22-6, while stretching its win streak to 10 straight. The Trojans avenged an earlier regular-season five-set loss to the Bulldogs and a five-set loss to the 'Dogs in last season's tourney title matchup. The Trojans advance to meet No. 4 seeded Lenoir-Rhyne, which upset top-seeded Tusculum earlier Friday, in Saturday's title matchup.

Wingate, which saw its win streak halted at 10, slipped to 23-4 on the season and will be seeking an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament when the selections are unveiled on Monday night.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Senior Noelle Knutsen shared match-high honors with 13 kills behind a .423 hitting percentage and knocked down a season-high seven total blocks, while sophomore Sadie Kluner added 11 kills and three block assists. Senior Regan Duty notched eight kills and three total blocks, with senior outside hitter Maya Learmonth tallying eight kills in three sets.

Junior setter Madison recorded her 11th double-double of the season with 39 assists and 15 digs, with Meghan DeVaux coming up with 20 digs and chipping in eight assists on the night. The Myrtle Beach native also posted a pair of service aces, along with sophomore Jaelyn Grimm and freshman Hannah Neff, who came up with two aces and 14 digs. Junior Lindsay McCurley chipped in three service aces and seven digs.

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
AU started hot by scoring the first five points of the frame and behind Knutsen's three kills and two block assists, the Trojans pushed out to a 12-5 advantage and on the strength of a .280 hitting percentage they gained a 17-10 edge and built the largest lead of the set (19-10) on an error by the Bulldogs and another kill by Knutsen.

But after building the nine-point lead, the Trojans had to survive a late 13-2 scoring outburst by Wingate, which was fueled by five kills and three block assists from senior Reece Blackley.

After the Bulldogs turned the Trojans' nine-point lead into a late two-point deficit, AU capitalized on a Wingate service error to draw within one, then the Trojans reached set point on back-to-back kills from the veteran Duty and took the win on Grimm's first block of the night.

Second Set
With both teams enduring marathon rallies, the Trojans garnered a 13-5 advantage, but on a night when no lead was safe, Wingate chipped away and slowly climbed within just two, at 16-14.

AU withstood each challenge, and still held a 20-18 before the Bulldogs scored the final seven points of the set.

Third Set
The Trojans took an early advantage and even though the lead hovered around just three points until midway through the frame, AU never surrendered the lead.

With AU leading, 13-10, Kluner sparked an 8-3 surge that gave the Trojans some breathing room, at 21-13, and Wingate would get no closer than six the rest of the way.

Fourth Set
The fourth set featured four early lead changes before the Bulldogs snapped an 8-8 deadlock with a 9-2 surge. With Wingate holding a seemingly safe 17-10 lead, the Trojans rattled off a 7-1 run to climb within just one.

After the teams traded a block with a kill, the Bulldogs posted three unanswered points to claim a four-point advantage (22-18) and were able to hold off the Trojans in the final moments, sending the match to a decisive fifth set.

Fifth Set
The final frame was knotted just twice, with Duty snapping a 2-2 tie with her seventh kill of the night. Following an error by the 'Dogs, Knutsen came up with a solo block to ignite a 7-2 scoring run that gave the Trojans control of the set.

DeVaux helped fuel the decisive surge with back-to-back aces, while Learmonth sandwiched kills around a score by Wingate's Sophie Schaff that boosted AU's lead to 12-5.

The defending tournament champions countered with three straight points but were unable to get any closer than three with Duty knocking down the game-clinching kill.

ANDERSON STAT OF THE NIGHT
The 10 service aces by the Trojans matched their second-highest total of the season – AU notched 14 in the season-opening win over East Central Oklahoma.

NOTABLES
• Four of the last five meetings between Anderson and Wingate have gone the full five-set distance.
• The Trojans have won two regular-season SAC titles and are seeking their first SAC Tournament crown.
• It was AU's first five-set match in more than a month, with the Trojans improving to 3-2 in five-set matches this season.
• The Trojans were making their fifth straight appearance and seventh overall appearance in the SAC Tournament semifinals (2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, Spring 2021 and 2021).
• AU is making its fourth appearance in the SAC Tournament title matchup (2013, 2014, Spring, 2021 and 2021).
• AU has won 10 straight over Lenoir-Rhyne after the Bears swept the 2016 regular-season series. The Trojans and Bears have met 26 times in the overall series that dates back to the 1999 campaign, with AU holding a 16-10 advantage.
• AU and Wingate were meeting for the second time this season – The Bulldogs edged the Trojans in five sets at the Abney Athletic Center in early October.
• AU and LR will be meeting for the second time this season – The Trojans swept LR in early October at the Abney Center.
• The Trojans and Bears have met just one other time in the history of the SAC Tournament – AU swept the Bears in the 2013 SAC Quarterfinals.
• The Trojans are looking for the school's sixth NCAA Tournament appearance in nine seasons (Due to COVID-19, the NCAA did not host a championship in 2019-2020).
• AU is making its 10th consecutive trip to the conference tournament and its 11th overall appearance after joining the league for the 2010 campaign.
• Anderson is 11-10 in its 11 appearances in the conference tournament.
• AU defeated Wingate in the SAC Tournament for the first time in five meetings.
• AU had dropped six straight to the Bulldogs after handing Wingate one of its two losses – and its' only conference setback – during the 2018 season. Wingate leads the overall series, 29-5.
• The match marked the first time AU and Wingate had met in the SAC Tournament Semifinals – the two programs squared off in the 2012 quarterfinals and in the finals in 2013, 2014 and Spring, 2021 – with Wingate winning each time.
• The Trojans have reached the 20+ win plateau for the fourth straight season and fifth time in seven years (excluding the Spring '20 COVID-19 shortened season.

UP NEXT
The Trojans have advanced to the SAC Championship tilt for the fourth time in program history and will square off against fourth-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne, Saturday at 2 p.m.