Women's Soccer | 11/2/2015 12:52:00 PM

Rock Hill, S.C.----The bracket has been announced for the 2015 South Atlantic Conference women's soccer tournament, which gets underway Tuesday afternoon. The two-time defending SAC Tournament champion Bulldogs will be the number two seed in this week's tournament after going 13-1-2 in the regular season, with a 9-1-1 mark in league play. Wingate will take on seventh-seeded Newberry Tuesday at 2 p.m. Due to weather and field conditions, the contest will take place at Manchester Meadows in Rock Hill, S.C.

The Bulldogs have appeared in five consecutive SAC Tournament title matches, winning three times. Wingate's first-ever SAC Tournament championship came in 2011, prevailing 4-2 against Lenoir-Rhyne in the title match to earn its first-ever NCAA Tournament bid. The Bulldogs defeated Lincoln Memorial in the 2013 SAC title match, while knocking off Lenoir-Rhyne in penalty kicks in the 2014 championship contest.

Wingate opened the 2011 season by winning each of its first 11 matches. The Bulldogs were one of the last two teams in the nation without a win or a tie. Wingate picked up an overtime win and two double-overtime victories in its first 11 games. The lone defeat of the year was a 1-0 setback at regular season champion Carson-Newman, allowing a goal in the final five minutes of regulation.

The Bulldogs have not allowed a goal since the Carson-Newman contest, going the last 400 minutes of the season without allowing a goal. The Wingate defense has allowed only six goals through 16 matches this year, seven less than any other SAC team. The Bulldogs allowed just three goals in 11 SAC contests. Wingate has piled up 11 shutouts on the season. The 'Dogs rank in the top 10 nationally in goals-against average and shutout percentage.

The balanced Wingate offense has seen 15 different players score at least one goal. Freshman Kimmi Moore (Hubert, N.C.) leads the Bulldogs with five goals, adding two assists for a team-best 12 points. Junior Kaitlyn Brunworth (Littleton, Colo.) has four goals and three assists, while freshman Sophie Jendrzejczyk (St. Charles, Ill.) has three goals and two assists. Junior Brooke Howell (Charlotte, N.C.) has a pair of goals to go along with three assists, while freshman Gabby Caliendo (Orlando, Fla.) has three goals for the Bulldogs. Sophomore Taylor Leyble (Jacksonville, N.C.) has registered two goals and two assists on the year. Sophomore goalkeeper Alexis Jones (Midway Park, N.C.) is the SAC leader in goals-against average and save percentage, ranking in the top four nationally in both categories.

Wingate and Newberry met in late September, with the Bulldogs collecting a 2-1 road win in double overtime. Moore scored the first goal of the game in the 70th minute, getting a Leyble assist. Newberry scored the equalizer with eight minutes to go in regulation, forcing overtime. It was freshman Caileigh Apicella (Islip Terrace, N.Y.) scoring five minutes into the second overtime that gave the 'Dogs the 2-1 victory. Wingate and Newberry met in the semifinals of the 2014 SAC Tournament, with the 'Dogs prevailing 1-0 thanks to a Leyble goal.

The winner of the quarterfinal match will face the winner of the Queens vs. Tusculum contest. That semifinal match will take place Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Manchester Meadows. The championship game will be Sunday at 4 p.m. at Manchester Meadows. With rain still in the area throughout Monday, there is still a chance of a schedule change for the quarterfinal match between Wingate and Newberry. For schedule updates go to wingatebulldogs.com and follow @WU_Bulldogs on Twitter.