No. 9 Wingate Defeats Lions

WINGATE, N.C. - The Mars Hill volleyball team lost 3-0 to No. 9 Wingate in Cuddy Arena on Friday night. The Bulldogs were victorious by scores of 25-15, 25-13 and 25-11. Wingate improves to 17-1 and 10-0 in the South Atlantic Conference while the Lions fall to 5-12 and 4-6.

Lauren Hochstetler led the Lions with eight kills and one ace. Rebecca Butler had 12 digs, with Christen Nicholson contributing 10 digs. Wingate was led by eight kills each from Shelly Stumpff and Abby Saehler. Kori Adams had a match-high 13 digs, with eight digs from Allison Cooke and seven digs from Susie Murach.

The Lions held a 10-5 lead in the opening set following a Butler kill. Wingate scored the next eight points for a 13-10 lead and closed the set on a 20-5 run for the victory. Mars Hill led 2-1 in the second stanza following a Regan Macomson kill before Wingate scored three points for a 4-2 advantage. The Lions would cut the lead to one following a Mary Kate Griffin kill but would get no closer for the remainder of the set. Wingate pulled out to a 5-0 lead in the third set before a service error and three consecutive Griffin kills brought the Lions to within one, 5-4. Mars Hill would come no closer than four points for the remainder of the set.

Mars Hill has a short turnaround, traveling to Coker for a Noon match on Saturday to close out the first half of the 2014 conference slate.