Jefferson City, Tenn.----The defending national champion Wingate University Bulldogs picked up their most impressive victory of the season Saturday night, cruising to a 7-1 victory at No. 21 Carson-Newman University in South Atlantic Conference men's soccer action. Wingate improves to 10-3 overall and 7-0 in the SAC, taking over sole possession of first place in the league standings while pushing its SAC winning streak to 18 matches. Carson-Newman falls to 9-3-1 overall and 6-1-1 in league play.
Senior midfielder
Felipe Checco (Brotas, Brazil) started the scoring six minute into the opening half, scoring his fifth goal of the year on a free kick from just outside the top of the box.
Freshman midfielder
Mattia Ditommaso (Milan, Italy) gave the 'Dogs a 2-0 lead in the 20th minute, taking advantage of a misplay by the Carson-Newman keeper and netting his fourth goal of the season.
Sophomore
Elliot Cutts (London, England) capped the first half scoring in the 27th minute, chipping one over the keeper from the right side of the box for his team-best ninth goal of the year.
Wingate took a four-goal lead four minutes into the second half, when All-American
Jon Ander (Bilbao, Spain) took a cross from Cutts and scored his fourth goal of the season, with senior
Elma N'For (Yaoundé, Cameroon) also notching an assist on the play.
Cutts scored his second goal of the night and 10th of the season in the 57th minute, getting a through ball from N'For and giving the 'Dogs a 5-0 advantage.
N'For found the back of the net in the 71st minute, bending one into the upper right corner from the edge of the box for his sixth goal of the year off assists from Ander and Cutts.
Sophomore midfielder
Stuart Hendry (Sydney, Australia) capped the scoring for the Bulldogs, getting a feed from Ditommaso and scoring his first career goal in the 80th minute to make it 7-0.
Carson-Newman got on the board with four minutes left in regulation, with
Tom Read heading home his eighth goal of the year.
Cutts finished the night with two goals and two assists, while N'For collected a goal and two assists. Ander and Ditommaso each registered a goal and an assist on the night.
Carson-Newman held a 15-11 advantage in shots, but Wingate held a 10-3 edge in shots on goal and 5-1 corner kick advantage. Junior goalkeeper
Pablo Jara (Santiago, Chile) had three saves for the Bulldogs, while
Twan Verweij picked up a pair of saves for the Eagles.
Wingate is back in action Wednesday, hosting Catawba at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN3.
