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Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University men's lacrosse team defeated Young Harris (Ga.) College 12-6 Sunday, winning its inaugural game on the Irwin Belk Track Complex turf field. Bulldog junior attack Cory Schumacher (Gainesville, Va.) had three goals and three assists to lead Wingate (1-0 overall) in its season opener. Young Harris is 1-2 overall.
 
Wingate never trailed, as Schumacher scored the first men's lacrosse goal at the Irwin Belk Track Complex turf field, an unassisted tally at 12:37 mark of the first quarter. Freshmen middies Steen Swedstedt (Mercer Island, Wash.) and Kevin Norman (Ocala, Fla.) each scored their first career goals in the opening frame, helping stake the Bulldogs to a 3-2 advantage.
 
Norman tallied his second goal (from a Schumacher assist) with 10:18 to play in the second stanza, helping Wingate take a 6-2 edge. YHC sophomore middies Mason McBroom (Orlando, Fla.) and Matt Spadafora (Edmonton, Alberta) answered with goals for the Mountain Lions, cutting the visitors' deficit to 6-4 at intermission.
 
Wingate held Young Harris scoreless in the third quarter, as freshman attack Tanner Kotch (Butler, Pa.) and Schumacher posted goals to nudge the Bulldogs' lead to 8-4. Schumacher assisted on Kotch's goal (7:24), while his tally was unassisted (3:24).
 
Spadafora scored his team-best third and final goal (12:31) to start the fourth quarter, but the Mountain Lions would get no closer down the stretch. Wingate senior midfield Bryce Sneed (Apex, N.C.) responded 33 seconds later, thanks to an assist from freshman attack Austin Murphy (Orillia, Ontario). Sneed won 12-of-20 face-offs Sunday, helping spur the Bulldog offense.
 
After Young Harris scored a rare man-down goal (4:11), Wingate sealed the deal with three unanswered goals by Schumacher, junior midfield Zak Goings (Haymarket, Va.) and Murphy. Fittingly, Schumacher dished out the assist on Murphy's first collegiate goal with 29 seconds left to complete Sunday's offense.
 
Norman, Kotch and Sneed scored two goals each for the hosts. Murphy handed out two assists. Wingate outshot Young Harris 48-31 with a 29-20 advantage in shots on goal. The Bulldogs like the even-numbered quarters, as Wingate compiled 34 of its shots in the second and the fourth frames. The YHC Mountain Lions shot only four times in the second and five times in the fourth.
 
Wingate converted three-of-11 extra-man opportunities, while holding Young Harris scoreless in eight EMO efforts. The two teams combined for 19 penalties worth 16 minutes and 30 seconds of penalty box time.
 
Bulldog freshman goalie Jacob Ormerod (Lake Mary, Fla.) won his WU debut, going the distance and notching 14 saves. YHC freshman net minder Alex Schneider (Dacula, Ga.) allowed six goals in 23-plus minutes. Senior goalie Bobby Parker (Coram, N.Y.) finished the contest; he also allowed six goals. Parker recorded 13 saves in his 36-plus minutes of action.
 
Both teams play their next games on Saturday, Feb. 22. Wingate hosts Mount Olive (2 p.m.), while Young Harris entertains Tusculum (2 p.m.). The Bulldogs open South Atlantic Conference play Feb. 26, visiting Coker for a 3:30 p.m. contest.