SALISBURY, N.C. --- The Wingate University volleyball team won its fifth consecutive Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament title, defeating Tusculum College 3-1 in the championship match Sunday afternoon in Goodman Gym. Wingate won by scores of 25-20, 25-16, 22-25 and 25-5 to improve to 28-1 overall. Tusculum falls to 25-6 on the season, while having its six-match winning streak snapped.
With the victory, the Bulldogs earn the league's automatic berth to next week's NCAA Division II Tournament. The Pioneers, who are ranked third in the NCAA Southeast Region, will learn their postseason fate when the NCAA Tournament field is announced Sunday night at 10 p.m.
Freshman outside hitter Cory McGowan (Pittsburgh, Pa.) racked up a career-high 17 kills to go along with 15 digs and a pair of blocks to lead the Wingate attack. SAC Player of the Year Stormi Gale (Richmond, Texas) added 13 kills, 12 digs and four blocks, while senior setter Amanda Clark (Timberlake, N.C.) handed out 37 assists, while junior setter Liz Willis (Raleigh, N.C.) added 22 assists and nine digs.
Gale earns SAC Tournament MVP honors for the second time in her career. Wingate's Maggie Malone and McGowan join Gale on the SAC All-Tournament team. Tusculum All-Conference First Team libero Caitlyn Dean (Fort Wayne, Ind.) and SAC Freshman of the Year Ashley Sarmiento (Dayton, Ohio) also earned All-Tournament accolades. Lincoln Memorial senior setter Lauren Kiwacka (Tipp City, Ohio) and Carson-Newman senior outside hitter Carly Mozgai (Greensboro, N.C.) round out the SAC All-Tournament team.
Sophomore outside hitter Sam Underwood (Muncie, Ind.) had eight kills and 19 digs to lead the Tusculum attack. Senior middle blocker Allyson Ray (Hudson, Fla.) added eight kills for the Pioneers. Sarmiento had 27 assists and 11 digs, while Dean piled up 29 digs to give her 822 on the season and establishing a new NCAA Division II record (for 25-point scoring format). Dean's mark breaks the previous best established by Lauren Flynn of Texas A&M-Commerce who posted 795 digs in 128 sets. Dean has accomplished the feat in 115 sets.
A Gale kill, followed by back-to-back McGowan kills gave the Bulldogs a 15-9 advantage in the opening set. A kill from Ray got Tusculum to within four at 19-15. A Gale kill, followed by a block from Hilton and sophomore middle blocker Grace Krauser (Louisville, Ky.) pushed Wingate's lead back to six at 22-16. The Pioneers answered by scoring the next four points, capped by a pair of kills from freshman outside hitter Rhayne Smitherman (Columbus, Ohio) to make it 22-20. Gale answered with a kill, while a Tusculum error gave the 'Dogs a 24-20 lead. Willis finished the set with an ace.
Wingate used a 4-0 run, sparked by a McGowan kill to take a 13-8 lead in the second set. Tusculum trimmed the lead to three at 13-10 on consecutive Wingate errors. Kills from Gale and junior outside hitter Janice Ehorn (Orange, Conn.) gave the Bulldogs a 17-11 advantage. A kill from Ray, along with a Wingate error got Tusculum within four at 18-14. A 3-0 run from the Dogs, highlighted by kills from Gale and McGowan, made it 21-14. Freshman outside hitter Katie Handy (Palos Verdes, Calif.) capped the second frame with a kill.
Tusculum used a 7-0 run to take a 19-10 lead in the third set. Ray got it started with back-to-back kills, while also capping the flurry with a kill. A kill from sophomore outside hitter Sam Underwood (Muncie, Ind.), along with a Wingate error gave the Pioneers a 24-17 lead. Wingate scored five straight points to cut the lead to two on a Hilton kill. Tusculum claimed the set on a Wingate error.
The Bulldogs came out on fire in the fourth frame, taking a 12-0 lead behind the serving of Clark. Gale and Hilton combined on a pair of early blocks, while Gale added a solo block. Kills from Hilton and Gale, along with a Clark ace made it 11-0. Wingate added a 6-0 run to take a 22-3 advantage. Hilton got it started with a kill, while McGowan capped it with consecutive kills. Wingate hit .609 in the final frame, with 14 kills and no errors in 23 swings.
The Pioneers were making their first-ever trip to the SAC Tournament championship match. TC is in quest of making its second straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
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