Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University All-American
Jade Montgomery (Monroe, N.C.) celebrated Senior Day in style Sunday, notching her 19th career multi-goal game to lead the Bulldogs to a 3-0 victory over Lincoln Memorial University in South Atlantic Conference women's soccer action. Wingate ends the regular season 10-2-3 overall and 9-1-1 in the SAC. LMU falls to 9-4-2 overall and 7-2-2 in the conference.
The victory gives Wingate second place alone in the final SAC standings. The Bulldogs will be the number two seed in the upcoming SAC Tournament. Wingate has advanced to four consecutive SAC Tournament championship games, winning a pair of titles. The Bulldogs ended the regular season on a 10-match unbeaten streak, going 9-0-1 during the span. Wingate has outscored opponents 36-1 during the streak, notching nine straight shutouts while holding opponents scoreless for over 880 minutes.
The Bulldogs got on the board 13 minutes into the contest, when freshman forward
Taylor Leyble (Jacksonville, N.C.) scored her fourth career goal to give Wingate the 1-0 lead. Sophomore midfielder
Naomi Matley (Clover, S.C.) set up the play with a perfect lead pass, notching her fifth assist of the year.
Wingate added to its lead 10 minutes into the second half, when Montgomery ripped a line drive into the corner for her 14th goal of the year. Matley again had the assist, giving her six on the season, putting her in second place in the conference.
Montgomery capped the scoring with 15 minutes remaining in the second half, taking a perfect pass from
Brooke Howell (Charlotte, N.C.) and beating the defense, then finding the back of the net for the 15th time this year. Howell notched her fourth assist of the year on the play, helping her finish third in the league with 30 points.
Montgomery finished the regular season as the league leader with 15 goals and 35 points. The two-time SAC Female Athlete of the Year has led the conference in goals and points in each of the last three seasons. Montgomery now ranks fourth on the all-time list in SAC history with 66 goals and 156 points.
The Bulldogs finished the day with an 18-7 advantage in shots, including a 12-3 edge in shots on goal. Senior goalkeeper
Ashlyn Hardie (Summerfield, N.C.) had three saves to help the 'Dogs notch their ninth consecutive shutout.
Kayla Stephens had nine saves for LMU.
Wingate is back in action Tuesday night, hosting Queens in the opening round of the SAC Tournament at 5 p.m.
