HICKORY, N.C. -- A marathon third-set victory swung the momentum in Wingate's favor as the visitor ran their winning streak to 22 in a row with a 3-1 victory over Lenoir-Rhyne in front of a spirited LR crowd. The win keeps the Bulldogs undefeated in conference play.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Wingate 3, Lenoir-Rhyne 1
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (14-8, 10-5 SAC), Wingate (24-1, 15-0 SAC)
Location: Shuford Arena
STATS OF THE MATCH:
- Wingate overcame an early LR onslaught to take the first set 25-20. The Bears fed off the home crowd and scored 10 of the first 12 points in the frame but the Bulldogs came all the way back and took the set.
- Undeterred, LR came back in set number two and again ran out to a big lead. Up 15-7, the Bears had to witness another comeback attempt from WU. The Bulldogs scored seven unanswered to make it 15-14 and then used a 4-0 run down 24-19 to stave off set point. Ashley Hawkins would end the run with a kill to knot the match at one.
- The third set was a marathon that saw 38 total kills, 66 points and eight set points for the Bears but it was Wingate who walked away with the dramatic 34-32 win.
- The Bears simply ran out of gas after the third set heartbreaker and Wingate hit .452 to take the final frame 25-9.
- Hawkins had 12 kills and 13 digs for the Bears and Colette Romp had 11 kills.
- Emmaleigh Allen had 11 digs and Mackenzie Hulsey finished with 36 assists and 16 digs. Bailey Carpenter added 18 digs.
- Molly Lambillotte had 16 kills and Shannon Kasprak had 52 assists and 24 digs for Wingate.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- The 64 points scored in the third set is the most since the Bears and Newberry combined for a 32-30 set score a season ago.
- Hawkins added three more aces after breaking the single-game record with nine against Coker on Wednesday.
- Braelyn Faust's eight blocks are tied for the fourth-most in the past five years.
- The 177 attempts for LR are the seventh-most in the past five years in a four-set contest.
UP NEXT: LR will return home to host UNC Pembroke on Tuesday at 6 p.m.