Box Score WINGATE, NC – The Emmanuel Women's Volleyball team traveled to Wingate, NC to face the #1 seed, Wingate University in the first round of the NCAA DII Southeast Regional Tournament. The Bulldogs got off to a strong start, taking the first set 25-15, but rallied to take the second set, 25-18. Wingate responded well to close out the game winning the final two sets, 25-18, 25-12  to earn the 3-1 victory. With the loss, the Lions end the season with a record of 22-9. 

The Bulldogs got off to a strong start in the first set taking an early 11-2 lead. The Lions responded with a kill by Isabella Reyes and errors by the Bulldogs to pull within 14-7 midway through the set. Kills by Ellie Jackson, Marusa Pesut, and Faith Kelly would cut the Bulldogs lead to 18-12, but Wingate would close out the set strong to take it, 25-15. 

The teams traded points and the lead to start the second set, but the Lions pushed ahead 9-5 on kills by Jackson, Kelly, Reyes, and Brianna Bigelow. The Bulldogs would respond to cut the Lions lead to 11-8 but kills by Jackson and ball handling errors by the Bulldogs would make it 16-11, Lions. Late in the set, the Lions led 22-15 and closed the set out with kills by Bigelow and Kelly to earn the 25-18 win in set two. 

The Bulldogs opened up the third set on a 5-2 run, but the Lions used kills by Jackson and a bad set by the Bulldogs to tie the set at 5-5. Three consecutive kills by Jackson quickly gave the Lions a 10-6 lead, causing the Bulldogs to call a timeout. With the Lions up 12-9, the Bulldogs responded with a 4-0 run to take a 13-12 lead midway through the set. The Bulldogs would pull ahead 18-14 and ended the set outscoring the Lions 7-4 to take the set, 25-18. 

The Bulldogs carried the momentum into set four, jumping out to an 11-2 lead. Kills by Ellie Jackson and errors by the Bulldogs cut the Wingate lead to 15-8 midway through the set. Kills by Faith Kelly and Cailin Pritchard cut the Bulldogs lead to 20-11 late, but Wingate closed out the set on a 5-1 run to take the set, 25-12 and win the game, 3-1. 

Overall, the Lions had 42 kills, 41 assists, 6 aces, 3 blocks and 70 digs. 

Ellie Jackson led the way with 16 kills, with Faith Kelly, Cailin Pritchard and Isabella Reyes each adding 7.

Marusa Pesut ended the night with 28 assists and 2 service aces, while Asia Queen (19), Jackson (15) and Isabel Miller (13) led the team in digs. 

Congratulations Lions on a historic season!