Box Score Rock Hill, S.C.----The 11th-ranked and top-seeded Bears of Lenoir-Rhyne University defeated the second-seeded Wingate University Bulldogs 2-0 in Food Lion SAC women’s soccer tournament championship match Sunday afternoon at Manchester Meadows in Rock Hill. The Bears win the SAC title and earn the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, improving to 16-1-2 overall. Wingate sees its 12-match unbeaten streak come to an end, falling to 14-2-2 overall.

Wingate, who defeated Lenoir-Rhyne 4-2 in the 2011 SAC title match, was ranked fourth in the most recent NCAA Southeast region poll. The Bulldogs will learn their postseason fate Monday at 7:30 p.m., on a live streaming of the NCAA selection show.

Lenoir-Rhyne freshman forward Leah Mullins (Kissimmee, Fla.) got the Bears on the board 12:54 into the contest, getting a feed from freshman Garcelle Alequine (Wilmington, Del.) and netting her 12th goal of the year.

Mullins struck again in the 48th minute, getting behind the defense and taking a lead pass from freshman defender Brianna Belsky (Egg Harbour Township, N.J.), just sneaking the ball inside the near post from a tough angle to make it 2-0.

Lenoir-Rhyne outshot Wingate 13-12 on the afternoon, with each team taking four shots on goal. Senior Caitlin Scruggs (Torrance, Calif.) had four saves to preserve the shutout for the Bears. Senior Miriam Boucher (Calgary, Alberta) had a pair of saves for Wingate. Wingate junior defender Holly Holsclaw (Matthews, N.C.) had a pair of shots on goal for the Bulldogs in the second half.

The Bulldogs, who have won a program-record 30 matches in the past two seasons, will be looking to make the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year. Last year’s appearance was the first in Wingate women’s soccer history.