Wingate, N.C.----The regular season South Atlantic Conference champion Wingate University Bulldogs defeated visiting Coker College 3-1 Tuesday night in the opening round of the 2014 men's soccer SAC Tournament. The 20th-ranked Bulldogs advance to Friday's semifinals to take on Lenoir-Rhyne. Wingate improves to 12-3-1 overall, advancing to the SAC semis for the first time since 2010. Coker ends its season at 4-8-5 overall.

Wingate got on the board with 10 minutes remaining in the opening half, when sophomore forward Charlie Machell (Newcastle, England) headed home a cross from freshman defender James Scott (Newcastle, England) for his league-best 12th goal of the season.

Wingate wasted no time adding to its lead in the second half, with junior midfielder Shaun Gadsby (Newcastle, England) scoring less than two minutes into the second half. Gadsby's sixth goal of the season came off an assist from Machell.

The Bulldogs took a 3-0 lead less than four minutes later, when senior defender Victor Tozelli (Sao Paulo, Brazil) scored off a corner kick from freshman midfielder David Fairgrieve (Newcastle, England).

Coker got on the board in the 86th minute, with Matt Taylor scoring on a free kick from 18 yards out to make the final margin 3-1.

Wingate finished the night with a 12-8 advantage in shots, including a 9-5 edge in shots on goal. Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Stephen Banick (Pickerington, Ohio) had four saves for the Bulldogs. Kyndle Cobb notched three saves for Coker.

The Bulldogs are back in action Friday night in Rock Hill, S.C. Wingate will face the fourth-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne University Bears in the SAC Tournament semifinals at Manchester Meadows at 7 p.m.