Wingate, N.C.----Belmont Abbey College senior midfield Katy Connery (Long Beach, N.Y.) and freshman midfield Rebecca Stromberg (Cincinnati, Ohio) tallied four goals each, boosting the visiting Crusaders to a 15-6 NCAA Division II women's lacrosse victory over Wingate University at the Irwin Belk Track Complex turf field on the Wingate campus Wednesday. For the home-standing Bulldogs, freshman attack Jaclyn Chiesa (Canton, Ga.) had three goals and one assist.
 
Belmont Abbey (1-1 overall) never trailed while collecting its first victory of the young 2015 season. The Crusaders open Conference Carolinas play Tuesday, hosting Emmanuel (Ga.) at 3 p.m. Wingate's South Atlantic Conference opener at Lincoln Memorial slated for Saturday has been postponed until March 11 (2 p.m.). The Bulldogs (1-2 overall) visit Erskine Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 4 p.m.
 
Four different Crusaders scored one goal each to lift the Abbey to a 4-0 lead five minutes into the contest. Chiesa scored Wingate's first goal at the 22:23 mark. Bulldog freshman attack Madison LaBarbera (Colchester, Conn.) tallied her first collegiate goal a minute later to cut the Wingate deficit to 5-2. Belmont Abbey led 8-2 at intermission.
 
Both Connery and Stromberg scored three goals each in the second half. Wingate did not get any closer than the halftime deficit down the stretch. Belmont Abbey outshot Wingate 25-17, including a 15-8 advantage after halftime. The Crusaders held a narrow 41-37 edge in ground balls. Belmont Abbey had five extra-man opportunities which they converted into three goals.
 
Crusader sophomore goalie Reilly Johnson (Chapel Hill, N.C.) earned the victory between the pipes. Johnson had six saves while allowing six goals. Wingate freshman goalie Nicole Hinkle (Fallston, Md.) took the loss, surrendering 15 goals and posting five saves.