Wingate, N.C.----The Lenoir-Rhyne University women's lacrosse team scored nine straight goals, turning a 5-5 tie into a big lead en route to a 21-7 South Atlantic Conference women's lacrosse victory over Wingate University at the Irwin Belk Track Complex turf field Saturday. Lenoir-Rhyne is 6-6 overall and 4-1 in the SAC. Wingate is 7-6 overall and 3-3 in the SAC.
 
L-R junior midfield Claire Wach (Cary, N.C.) led the Bears with seven points on the strength of three goals and a team-best four assists. Bear senior midfield Lauren Donovan (Hollywood, Md.) had a team-high four goals and two assists for six points. Both freshman midfield Aubriana Benedetto (Rochester, N.Y.) and sophomore attack Torrey Schwitkis (San Diego, Calif.) had three goals each. Benedetto had two assists, while Schwitkis had one helper.
 
Wingate sophomore midfield Paulena Dempsey (Jarrettsville, Md.) led the host Bulldogs with three goals. Sophomore midfield Brittany Andrews (Bel Air, Md.) had one goal and two assists. Three WU teammates had one goal each.
 
Bulldog junior team captain Erin Murphy (Mooresville, N.C.) scored her team-high 30th goal of the season with 11:10 remaining in the first half, tying the score 5-5. The visiting Bears answered with nine consecutive goals to take a 14-5 lead on a Benedetto goal with 41 seconds left in the opening frame. Wach had three goals in the 9-0 flurry, while senior midfield Kirsten Smith (Dunkirk, Md.) had two scores.
 
WU sophomore midfield Logan Bounds (Salisbury, Md.) broke the drought with a goal at the 30-second mark, thanks to assist from Murphy. Wingate would get no closer, as the Bears outscored the Bulldogs 6-1 in the second stanza.
 
Lenoir-Rhyne outshot Wingate 42-15; the Bears collected 56 ground balls, compared to 30 for the Bulldogs. L-R won 18 draw controls, while Wingate won 12 draw controls. The Bears scored three free-position goals (in 11 attempts). The Bulldogs tallied on two free-position shots in five tries.
 
Two freshmen goalies played 30 minutes each for the L-R Bears. Ines Flueck (Coppell, Texas) played the first half, allowing six goals and recording two saves. Paula Cortezano (Patchogue, N.Y.) played the second half. She gave up one goal and posted three saves. Bulldog freshman goalie Nicole Hinkle (Fallston, Md.) went the distance between the pipes, surrendering 21 goals and recording 14 saves.
 
Wingate steps out of the league fray Wednesday, hosting Chowan University for a 4 p.m. contest. Lenoir-Rhyne hits the road again Wednesday, visiting Coker College for a 3 p.m. SAC encounter.