Box Score                         PHOTO GALLERY

Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University sophomore forward Jade Montgomery (Monroe, N.C.) registered her second career hat trick Saturday afternoon, leading the Bulldogs to a 3-0 victory over the visiting Eagles of Carson-Newman College in South Atlantic Conference women’s soccer action. Wingate improves to 4-1-1 overall and 1-1 in the SAC, while the Eagles fall to 2-6 overall and 0-3 in the conference.
 
“I thought we showed great patience and belief,” head coach Gary Curneen says. “We knew that if we kept doing the right things, we would eventually get our rewards, and that was the case. If we give our forwards the right service, we know we will score goals.”
 
The first half went scoreless, with Wingate holding a 6-2 advantage in shots and 4-1 edge in shots on goal.
 
The Bulldogs got on the board 6:25 into the second half, when Montgomery netter her sixth goal of the season. Junior midfielder Meaghan Barry (Naples, Fla.) set up the goal with a corner kick right in front of the net, which the 2011 All-SAC and All-Region performer headed home.
 
Carson-Newman had a chance to tie the match when Carson-Newman senior forward Brooke Ehman (Chelsea, Mich.) got behind the defense, but Wingate senior goalkeeper Miriam Boucher (Calgary, Alberta) was there to make the diving save to keep the Eagles off the board.
 
The Bulldogs added to their lead in the 84th minute when Montgomery took a cross from freshman forward Danielle Cremmen (Acton, Mass.) and lined in her second goal of the day to make it 2-0.
 
Montgomery finished her hat trick less than a minute later, getting behind the defense and heading home a lead pass from junior defender Holly Holsclaw (Matthews, N.C.) to push the advantage to three.
 
Wingate outshot Carson-Newman 12-5 on the afternoon, holding a 9-3 advantage in shots on goal. Boucher had three saves to preserve the shutout for the Bulldogs. Freshman Kendra Ivins (Chattanooga, Tenn.) had six saves for the Eagles.
 
Wingate returns to action Wednesday, hosting Newberry at 4:30 p.m. Carson-Newman hosts Limestone Saturday at 12 p.m.