Box Score Boxscore

WINGATE, N.C. − Meg Weathersby (Maitland, Fla., Orangewood Christian) concluded a stellar career with her 15th double-double of the season with a match-high 14 kills and a match-high 16 digs as Flagler College fell to No. 25 Wingate University 3-0 (25-23, 25-15, 25-21) in the NCAA Division II Southeast Region Championship Match Sunday night at Cuddy Arena.

Wingate improved to 31-1 and will advance to the NCAA Division II National Tournament Quarterfinals on Dec. 2 in Louisville, Ky., and face the winner of the South Central Regional. Flagler ends its season at 29-9.

Wingate used a balanced offensive attack with four players having five or more kills. Lauren Bill recorded nine kills and five digs while Stormi Gale added nine kills, seven digs and six total blocks. Anna Hilton chipped in with six kills and six total blocks while Cory McGowan tacked on six kills and 15 digs for the Bulldogs. Maggie Malone collected 15 digs and Amanda Clark tallied 21 assists.

Wingate recorded 12 total team blocks and held Flagler to its lowest hitting percentage of the season, .057.The 12 blocks by the Bulldogs are the most against the Saints offense all year.

Weathersby, the Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year, hit .235 for the Saints as she had six errors on 34 swings. Dianna Craine (Oshawa, Ontario, University of Tulsa) added six kills and seven digs while Rachel Stacy (Orlando, Fla., Timber Creek HS) chipped in with five kills and four total blocks. Stacy also hit .235. Jillian Unitas (Baldwin, Md., St. Paul's School for Girls) and Casey Gnann (Boca Raton, Fla., Spanish River HS) each collected 13 digs while Olivia Snipes (Easley, S.C., Easley HS) added 16 assists. Rebecca Royal (Green Cove Springs, Fla., Fleming Island HS) also concluded a spectacular career at Flagler. The Peach Belt's co-Setter of the Year registered 15 assists.

The first set featured nine ties and two lead changes. Trailing 22-21, Wingate tied the set on a Gale kill. A double-block by McGowan and Grace Krauser gave the Bulldogs a 23-22 lead and that was followed by a service ace by Gale. The Saints broke the first set point after an attack error by Hilton, but McGowan ended the set with a kill to give Wingate the set, 25-23.

The Bulldogs broke a 4-all tie in the second set with a 5-0 run. McGowan recorded a kill and a solo block in the run. The lead for Wingate would swell to as many as nine points (17-8) before settling on the final, 25-15. Flagler hit .000 in the set with seven kills and seven errors on 42 swings. The Saints hit into four blocks.

In the final set, Flagler opened up 7-3 lead before Wingate wiped it out with an 11-3 run. Three consecutive double-blocks by the Bulldogs provided the final three points of the burst. Gale had a hand in all three with Hilton assisting on two and Billo on the other block. The Saints would rally and close the gap to 21-20 on a kill by Sophie Meyer (Orlando, Fla., The Geneva School), but she had two hitting errors in a row which gave Wingate a 23-20 lead and then Gale and Hilton sandwiched a kills around one from Weathersby to take the set and match.

Weathersby, Gnann and Crystal Niederriter (Merritt Island, Fla., Merritt Island HS) were selected to the all-tournament team.

This was the third meeting this year between the two teams. Flagler swept Wingate at the Carolinas Challenge on Sept. 4, and Wingate won at home, 3-1, on Sept. 15. The Bulldogs lead the series 3-2. Flagler defeated Wingate last year 3-1 to advance to the national quarterfinals in St. Paul, Minn.


Wingate def. Flagler 25-23,25-15,25-21

Flagler (29-9) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Weathersby, Meg 14-0-1; Craine,
Dianna 6-2-1; Stacy, Rachel 5-0-4; Meyer, Sophie 4-0-2; Niederriter,
Crystal 3-0-1; Royal, Rebecca 1-0-2; Snipes, Olivia 0-1-0; Lancaster,
Laura B. 0-1-0; Totals 33-4-6.0. (Assists) - Snipes, Olivia 16; Royal,
Rebecca 15. (Dig leaders) - Weathersby, Meg 16; Gnann, Casey 13;
Unitas, Jillian 13

Wingate (31-1) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Lauren Billo 9-0-1; Stormi Gale
9-1-6; Anna Hilton 6-0-6; Cory McGowan 6-0-3; Grace Krauser 4-0-4;
Rebecca Bloemer 4-0-1; Liz Willis 3-1-0; Janice Ehorn 0-0-1; Katie
Handy 0-1-0; Amanda Clark 0-2-0; Totals 41-5-12.0. (Assists) - Amanda
Clark 21; Liz Willis 10. (Dig leaders) - Maggie Malone 15; Cory
McGowan 15

Site: Wingate, N.C. (Cuddy Arena)
Date: Nov 21, 2010 Attend: 887 Time: 1:08
Referees:
Southeast Region Championship Match