WINGATE, N.C.- The Wingate University Bulldogs defeated Queens University of Charlotte 3-0 (25-15, 25-11, 25-18) on day two of the 2008 Wingate Classic in Cuddy Arena. The Bulldogs improve to 8-1 on the year, Queens falls to 1-8.
Senior middle hitter Keatin McKenzie (Coral Springs, Fla., Cardinal Gibbons )led the Queens attack with seven kills and 11 digs. Senior outside hitter Veronica Arenander (Cincinnati, Ohio, Walnut Hill ) added six kills for the Royals. Junior setter Amanda Valbert (Champaign, Ill., Champaign Central ) handed out 17 assists.
Freshman outside hitter Janice Ehorn (Orange, Conn.) led the Wingate attack with 11 kills to go along with three aces. Sophomore outside hitter Heather Myklebust (Sugar Land, Texas) added 10 kills for the Bulldogs. Sophomore setter Amanda Clark (Timberlake, N.C.) racked up 15 assists and seven digs while junior libero Chelsea Cancelliere (Richboro, Pa.) had a match-high 14 digs.
The Bulldogs took a 17-9 lead in the first set, getting three kills from Ehorn along with a Queens error. The Royals cut the lead to seven at 22-15 on a kill from sophomore middle hitter Tanisha Lea (Efland, N.C.). The Bulldogs scored the final three points of the set, finishing it off on an ace from Myklebust.
Wingate jumped out to an 8-1 lead in the second set, getting an ace from senior middle blocker Ashley Craven (Southern Pines, N.C.) and two kills from Ehorn. The Royals cut the lead to three on a kill from Valbert followed by a Wingate error to make it 10-7. The Bulldogs responded by scoring the next eight points. Cancelliere racked up three aces in the spurt while Myklebust added a pair of kills. The advantage would stay above 10 the rest of the way, with Craven finishing off the set with an ace.
The Bulldogs took a 14-8 lead in the third frame on two aces from junior defensive specialist Tracy Wilkinson (Hendersonville, N.C.) to go along with a Queens error. The Royals cut it to three at 17-14 on a kill from freshman middle hitter Brittany Harvey (Matthews, N.C., Sun Valley ). Wingate scored the next four points, getting two kills from Myklebust along with an Ehorn ace to make it 21-14. An ace from senior outside hitter Natalie Weiner (Greensboro, N.C., Page ) cut the lead to four at 22-18. The Bulldogs scored the final three points of the set, with junior outside hitter Sophie Schellenberger (Dresdeu, Germany) finishing off the match with an ace.
Wingate hit .273 for the match, with 25 kills and 11 errors on 88 attempts. Queens hit .120 with 24 kills and 14 errors on 83 attempts. The Bulldogs racked up a season-high 16 aces, led by Schellenberger and Cancelliere with four apiece.
Wingate returns to action later Saturday afternoon, taking on UNC Pembroke at 4 p.m. in the finale of the Wingate Classic. The Royals are back in action Tuesday, when they host Lees-McRae at 6:30 p.m.
