Wingate Eliminated by Wheeling Jesuit in NCAA Volleyball Quarterfinals

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The 25th-ranked Wheeling Jesuit University Cardinals swept the ninth-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs 3-0 in the NCAA national quarterfinals Thursday night at the U.S. Cellular Center. Wheeling Jesuit won by scores of 25-19, 25-19 and 25-17 to improve to 38-5 overall, advancing to the national semifinals Friday night. Wingate ends its season at 32-3 overall.

"I know as a team we are really disappointed that we did not play our best in such an important event," head coachShelton Collier says. "We ran into a team that simply outplayed us the entire match and we would agree that we picked a bad night to have a bad match."

The Bulldogs had another historic season in 2013, winning their eight straight SAC regular season and tournament titles. Wingate once again ranks in the top five nationally in winning percentage, while the Bulldogs cracked the top 10 in the AVCA top 25 for the first time in program history. The 'Dogs have appeared in the Elite Eight three of the last four seasons. This year also marked the first time in program history the Bulldogs have had multiple players named to an All-American team. SAC and Region Player of the Year Anna Hilton (Hickory, N.C.) is the first player in league history to earn AVCA first team All-American honors, while Lexi Potter (North Liberty, Iowa) is the first player in SAC history to earn second team All-American honors from the AVCA.

Jenna Pew had 13 kills, six digs and three blocks to lead the WJU attack, hitting .346. Kayce Krucki added 13 kills and 12 digs, while Haley Kindall had eight kills for the Cardinals. Andrea Thobe handed out 37 assists to go along with 10 digs, while Makenzie Ripley collected 15 digs.

Hilton had seven kills and nine digs to lead the Wingate attack, while junior outside hitter Susie Murach (Burke, Va.) had five kills. Honorable mention All-American setter Alison Cooke (Davidson, N.C.) had 15 assists, five blocks, five kills and four digs. Potter had three kills and nine blocks, while junior libero Stephanie Tassone (Chicago, Ill.) had 14 digs.

The Cardinals jumped out to an 8-5 lead in set one, but a 3-0 Wingate run, highlighted by a Potter block tied it at eight. A pair of Murach kills, along with two WJU errors gave the 'Dogs a 12-9 lead. The Cardinals responded with a 5-0 run, taking a 17-14 lead on a Krucki kill. Hilton cut the lead to two with a kill, but a Pew kill and Wingate error made it 19-15. A Potter block and Cooke kill, along with a block from Cooke and Potter tied the set at 19. The Cardinals answered with a 6-0 run to end the opening set. Pew had two kills in the flurry, while Krucki capped the set with a kill.

Wheeling Jesuit jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the second set. Kills from Hilton and Cooke cut the lead to one at 11-10. The Cardinals answered with a 4-0 run, taking a 15-10 lead on an ace from Emma Schleucher. A pair of Potter kills helped Wingate cut the lead to three at 18-15. Schleucher gave the Cardinals a five-point lead with a kill, but a kill from freshman Abby Saehler (Iowa City, Iowa) and two WJU errors made it 21-19. A kill and a block from Pew gave the Cardinals a 24-19 lead, while a Wingate error finished the set.

A Pew kill and Wingate error gave Wheeling Jesuit an 8-2 lead in set three. A block from Potter and Cooke trimmed the lead to four at 11-7. A Schleucher kill pushed the advantage to seven at 16-9. Another kill from Krucki helped the Cardinals take a 21-12 lead. Two WJU errors along with a Potter block made it 21-15, but a pair of Wingate errors made it 24-16. The Cardinals claimed the match on a Wingate error.

- Wingate media relations