Wingate Wins Third Straight Food Lion SAC Volleyball Tournament Title

MARS HILL, N.C. -- Top-seed Wingate won its third consecutive 2008 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Volleyball Tournament Saturday afternoon as the Bulldogs swept No. 7-seed Lincoln Memorial in three games. The Lady Railsplitters lost by scores of 25-13, 26-24 and 25-13. Wingate improves to 30-1 and earns an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Lincoln Memorial drops to 21-13.

After two close matches in the regular season that went to five games, Lincoln Memorial struggled in the championship game. The Lady Railsplitters did not hold a lead until the beginning of the third game.

Senior outside hitter Kathryn Reddick (Franklinton, N.C.) led the Bulldogs with 13 kills and a .706 hitting percentage for the match. Sophomore middle blocker Stormi Gale (Richmond, Texas) added 12 kills and five blocks. Sophomore outside hitter Lauren Billo (Orland Park, Ill.) chipped in with eight kills for the Bulldogs.

Wingate freshman setter Liz Willis (Raleigh, N.C.) had 35 assists and seven digs, while freshman libero Maggie Malone (Chicago, Ill.) added eight digs. Gale was named the tournament MVP, while Malone and Reddick joined her on the all-tournament team.

Junior outside hitter Amanda Horenkamp (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) led the LMU attack with nine kills. Sophomore setter Lauren Kiwacka (Tipp City, Ohio) handed out 13 assists for the Railsplitters.

"I know our players were confident we could win the SAC tournament again this year," Wingate head coach Shelton Collier says. "We were pleased to be able to win another title. I think it is very important that we have this momentum going into the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional tournament next weekend."

The Bulldogs opened the match hot and held a 9-3 advantage in the first game off a kill by Reddick. Wingate held a 12-point lead at 19-7 off an attack error by Horenkamp. Reddick and Gale, who was named MVP of the tournament, recorded a block on the play. A kill by Reddick gave the Bulldogs the first set victory.

Tournament Most Valuable Player Stormi Gale had 12 kills and five blocks in the championship game. (Photo by J. Brett Whitesell)

Wingate opened up a 5-0 lead in the second game off back-to-back kills by Gale. Willis assisted Gale on both kills. Another Gale kill propelled the Bulldogs to a 10-2 lead. Lincoln Memorial mounted a charge and cut the lead to 12-10 off a service ace by Horenkamp. Wingate responded a stretched the margin to seven at 20-13 off a kill by Reddick. Again the Lady Railsplitters staged a comeback with a 7-0 run and tied the game at point 23 off a kill by Cami Lefeld (St. Henry, Ohio). The Bulldogs withstood the charge and a Reddick kill ended Lincoln Memorial's threat.

The Lady Railsplitters jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third set off a service ace from Lauren Kiwacka (Tipp City, Ohio). After trading points back and forth, an attack error by Ashley Knight (Palm Harbor, Fla.) allowed Wingate to gain an 8-5 lead and pull away in the game. A service ace by Willis gave the Bulldogs a 19-9 lead. Wingate clinched the match off a kill by Ashley Craven (Southern Pines, N.C.).

In addition to Gale, Reddick and Horenkamp, Maggie Malone (Chicago, Ill.) of Wingate, Priscila Sales (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) of Newberry, Kelsey Fleck (Celina, Ohio) of Carson-Newman and Alicia MacIntyre (Muncie, Ind.) of Lincoln Memorial made the SAC All-Tournament Team.

Tournament Most Valuable Player Stormi Gale.

Members of the All-Tournament Team, from left: Stormi Gale, Wingate; Maggie Malone, Wingate; Katheryn Reddick, Wingate; Amanda Horenkamp, Lincoln Memorial University; Alicia MacIntyre, Lincoln Memorial University. Not pictured, Priscila Sales, Newberry and Kelsey Fleck, Carson-Newman.

Wingate team captains Stormi Gale, left and Jacki Emmenecker accept the tournament championship trophy.