WINGATE, N.C. - The Anderson University volleyball team opened a two-match road swing by dropping a 3-0 (25-12, 25-22, 25-21) decision to seventh-ranked Wingate in South Atlantic Conference action Friday night at Cuddy Arena.

Anderson (18-6, 11-5 SAC) had its win streak halted at five, while Wingate (23-1, 16-0 SAC) opened a five-game homestand by winning its 53rd consecutive SAC contest.

Reigning SAC Player of the Week, Hailey Pittman, led the Trojans with eight kills and added four block assists, with senior outside hitter Shannon Gillespie and freshman Kendall Vallancourt each recording five kills on the night. Gillespie also came up with nine digs, while Vallancourt posted four service aces. Sophomore Priscilla Irizarry notched her 11th double-double of the season with 20 assists and 11 digs, while senior libero Alix Hooker is within three digs of setting a new school record after recording 16 against the Bulldogs.

Wingate's Abby Saehler led all players with 10 kills, while setter Alison Cooke handed out 26 assists and middle blocker Lexi Potter recorded four block assists. Kori Adams posted 17 digs for the Bulldogs, with Cooke adding 15.

The Bulldogs hit .393 in the opening set and overcame a 5-4 Trojan lead with a 13-4 run that turned the one-point deficit into a 17-9 advantage. Wingate claimed a double-digit lead on an AU error and went on to claim the set.

Wingate built a six-point lead on four occasions in the second frame, then held off a late charge by the Trojans to gain the two-set advantage. Leading by just one, at 7-6, Wingate scored four unanswered points as part of a 7-2 surge that gave the Bulldogs their first six-point lead, with AU countering to close within four points three times. Trailing, 20-15, and with Vallancourt serving, Pittman knocked down three kills and Vallancourt added a service ace to pull the Trojans within 20-19 before Wingate answered with three consecutive points to push back ahead by four. AU then capitalized on a pair of Bulldog errors and a Pittman kill to again get within just one, but was unable to overtake WU, as the 'Dogs scored back-to-back points to earn the win.

The third set saw the teams trade scoring runs, with Wingate scoring the first five points of the third set, but the Trojans refused to go away quietly and answered with seven unanswered points to take a 7-5 lead. Vallancourt and Pittman combined for a block that got the Trojans on the scoreboard and with Vallancourt notching two aces, AU posted the two-point edge. But Wingate countered with seven consecutive points to regain a 12-7 lead before AU freshman Marissa Mitter slowed the Bulldog outburst with a kill and AU battled back to take an 18-15 advantage on the strength of an 11-3 outburst. However, the nationally-ranked Bulldogs scored five straight points and closed the set on a 10-3 run to take the victory.

Anderson will look to get back in the win column on Saturday, when the Trojans visit Coker. First-serve versus the Cobras is scheduled for noon at the DeLoach Center.