Box Score
Belmont, N.C.----The Belmont Abbey College men’s lacrosse team broke open a close game with a late push, earning a 13-8 NCAA Division II victory over Wingate University at Alumni Field. The host Crusaders are 3-0 overall, while Wingate is 1-2 overall (NCAA box score).
                                                              
Wingate senior attacks Derek Watts (Winston-Salem, N.C.) and Taylor Womble (Cary, N.C.) had two goals and two assists each. Senior midfield Garrett Kendall (Greer, S.C.) also scored two goals. Freshman attack Connor Sellers (Brampton, Ontario, Canada) had four goals and two assists for Belmont Abbey.
 
The Bulldogs bolted to a 3-1 lead after the first 15 minutes. Wingate scored three unanswered goals to finish the frame. Watts got Wingate on the board at the 11:30 mark, while Womble completed the first quarter scoring with two goals of his own. Watts assisted Womble on the second tally (2:04), giving the Bulldogs the 3-1 advantage.
 
Four different Belmont Abbey players scored one goal each to give the Crusaders a 5-3 advantage with five minutes to play in the second stanza. Wingate had the answer, tying the contest with goals from Derek Watts and freshman midfield Chase Watts (Winston-Salem, N.C.). Womble assisted on the Chase Watts goal which tied the game 5-5 with 1:42 to play in the second quarter.
 
Sellers scored the eventual game-winner with 18 seconds to play in the second quarter. Belmont Abbey junior midfield Scotty Steele (Severna Park, Md.) tallied the second of his three goals with one second left, giving the Crusaders a 7-5 halftime lead.
 
Leading 9-7 heading into the fourth, the Abbey outscored Wingate 4-1 in the final 15 minutes. Sellars scored twice in the fourth frame, while senior midfield Dan Morrissey (Mahhassett, N.Y.) and freshman attack Daniel Marshall (Campbellville, Ontario, Canada) netted the other two.
 
Belmont Abbey outshot Wingate 40-29 and won the ground ball battle 35-28. Sellars scored his four goals on eight shots, while Steele and Marshall both added three goals each. Defensively, Sellars had six ground balls to lead the Abbey. Wingate junior midfield Bryce Sneed (Cary, N.C.) had six ground balls to top the Wingate charts.
 
Crusader sophomore goalkeeper Brett Lawless (Phoenix, Ariz.) earned his third victory of the season. Lawless allowed eight goals and recorded eight saves in 60 minutes. Bulldog redshirt junior net minder Patrick Cooney (Cazenovia, N.Y.) took the loss. Cooney surrendered 13 goals and notched 15 saves during his 60 minutes.
 
Wingate concludes a two-game road trip Saturday, visiting Mount Olive for a 2 p.m. contest. Belmont Abbey begins Conference Carolinas play Saturday, traveling to Coker for a 2 p.m. encounter.