Wingate Blanks Catawba, Advances to NCAA Volleyball Championship Southeast Regional Final
WINGATE, N.C. -- The top-seeded and 14th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs hit .315 on the match, sweeping the number four seed Catawba College Indians in semifinal action in the NCAA Southeast regional Saturday evening in Cuddy Arena.
Wingate won by scores of 25-18, 25-17 and 25-21 to improve to
32-0 overall, advancing to the regional championship match for the
third consecutive year. Catawba ends its season at 24-8
overall.
Junior outside hitter Cory McGowan (Pittsburgh, Pa.) led the
Wingate attack, piling up 15 kills and 14 digs, hitting. 433 on the
match. Freshman outside hitter Susie Murach (Burke, Va.) added 13
kills, while redshirt sophomore right-side hitter Anna Hilton
(Hickory, N.C.) had 10 kills, 10 digs and a .400 hitting
percentage. Senior setter Liz Willis (Raleigh, N.C.) notched 40
assists and eight digs, while senior libero Maggie Malone (Chicago,
Ill.) added 12 digs for the Bulldogs.
"Our players did a great job of preparing for this match this past
week in practice, and it really showed in our execution of a game
plan tonight," head coach Shelton Collier says. "We are certainly
excited about playing in the championship match Sunday. Flagler is
playing at very high level at this point; however, we are on our
home court, so we are hoping we can play well enough to win."
Junior outside hitter Kaitlyn Whitmer (Ferrum, Va.) had nine kills
to lead the Catawba attack. Senior outside hitter Shay Meeks (Kings
Mountain, N.C.) added six kills for the Indians. Junior setter
Jordan Raye (Boonville, N.C.) had 19 assists, 11 digs and three
kills, while junior libero Jenny Young (Roanoke, Va.) had a
match-high 17 digs.
A 3-0 Wingate run, capped by a kill from freshman middle blocker
Lexi Potter (North Liberty, Iowa) gave Wingate an early 11-7 lead.
Raye answered with a kill to trim the lead to three, but the 'Dogs
responded with kills from Murach and Hilton to help stretch the
advantage to seven at 17-10. The Indians would get no closer than
five the rest of the way. Kills from McGowan and Hilton made it
24-18, while another Hilton kill finished the first set.
Kills from Willis and Hilton, along with a McGowan ace gave Wingate
a 15-9 lead in set two. Sophomore middle blocker Savannah Tomlinson
(Rensenburg, N.Y.) answered with a kill to trim the lead to five.
The 'Dogs scored the next four points to extend the lead to nine,
thanks to two kills each from Murach and junior middle blocker
Grace Krauser (Louisville, Ky.). Catawba would get no closer than
seven the rest of the way. A kill from senior outside hitter Janice
Ehorn (Orange, Conn.), followed by a Catawba error made it 24-16.
Wingate claimed the second frame on a Catawba error. The Bulldogs
hit .368 in set two.
The third set stayed tight early, with a Whitmer kill and Wingate
error tying it at 12. The 'Dogs scored five of the next six points
to go on top 17-13. Murach started it with a kill, while McGowan
added a kill in the flurry. A Meeks kill, followed by an ace from
sophomore middle blocker Emily Richardson (Salem, Va.) trimmed the
lead to two at 19-17. Whitmer added a kill to get Catawba to within
one at 21-20. Krauser responded with a key kill to push the lead to
two, while McGowan slammed home the final three kills of the night
for the Bulldogs.
Wingate had 53 kills and 13 errors in 127 attacks to hit .315 on
the night. The Indians had 27 kills and nine errors in 103 attacks
for their .175 hitting percentage.
Wingate and Flagler will meet in the regional title match for the
third straight year. The Saints won 3-1 in the 2009 title match,
while Wingate won 3-0 in 2010. Wingate and Flagler have met six
times since the 2009 season, with the Bulldogs winning four of
those contests. Wingate defeated Flagler 3-1 on the opening weekend
of the season. Sunday's championship contest will be Sunday at 4
p.m. in Cuddy Arena.
- Courtesy Wingate Media Relations