Wingate, N.C. ----Wingate University senior attack Austin Murphy (Orillia, Ontario) had a game-high six points (two goals, four assists) to boost the Bulldogs to an 11-6 victory over the Lynn University Fighting Knights in NCAA Division II men's lacrosse action from Graham Gill Field at the Irwin Belk Track Complex Tuesday afternoon. Bulldog sophomore midfielder Daniel Godwin (Greensboro, N.C.) tallied a season-high three goals for the hosts.
 
The WU defense held previously-undefeated Lynn to a season-low six goals in the contest. The visiting Fighting Knights averaged 14.3 goals per contest through their first three games to begin the 2017 campaign. With the triumph, Wingate improves to 4-1 overall. Lynn is 3-1 overall. The Bulldogs are back in action this Saturday, when they host South Atlantic Conference rival Lenoir-Rhyne for a 3 p.m. face-off. Lynn hosts Limestone College on the same day for a 12 noon start time.
 
Murphy increased his team-leading goal total to 12 scores in his final season. Junior attack Jeremy Sullivan (Crofton, Md.) added two goals as well, while senior attack Tanner Kotch (Butler, Pa.), redshirt senior attack Ryan Vogrig (Vancouver, B.C.) and sophomore midfielder Conor Gronbach (Cary, N.C.) contributed one score each.
 
The Bulldogs never trailed in the contest, jumping out to the early 3-0 advantage on two goals from Godwin and the seventh tally of the season from sophomore attack Alex Llerandi (Marietta, Ga.) with 4:47 in the opening quarter. The 'Dogs maintained the 3-0 lead at the break between quarters.
 
Wingate added two more goals from Kotch and Vogrig to extend the WU advantage out to 5-0 with 5:06 in the second quarter, but Lynn ended the Bulldog scoring run on a tally from senior midfielder Johnny Gavin (Laguna Beach, Calif.) with five minutes to go (5-1). A goal from Murphy made it a 6-1 Wingate lead, but Lynn answered with four seconds remaining in the first half to make it a 6-2 score at the halftime intermission.
 
Back-to-back insurance scores from Godwin and Sullivan added to the WU advantage at 8-2, but Fighting Knight sophomore midfielder Conrad Rhein (York, Pa.) netted another Lynn goal to trim the margin down to 8-3 with 4:08 in the third stanza. Wingate led 9-3 entering the final quarter.
 
With the 'Dogs maintaining the 10-4 advantage with 7:42 remaining in the fourth frame, Lynn attempted a late comeback with consecutive scores from sophomore midfielder Nick Howard (Southington, Conn.) and freshman midfielder Sean Escalante (Monrovia, Md.) to cut the deficit down to 10-6 with 4:17 on the clock. Gronbach netted the Bulldogs' 11th goal with 1:46 left in regulation as the hosts collected the five-goal triumph.
 
Wingate junior goalkeeper Will Sheridan (Woodstock, Ga.) posted 15 saves and got the win, improving his record to 4-1. He went the distance Tuesday. Lynn University freshman goalie Collin McClelland (Ellicott City, Md.) collected 10 saves and took the loss. He also posted 60 minutes of playing time.
 
(Wingate University athletic media relations/sports network student assistant Jackson Kaplan contributed this article. A sophomore from Raleigh, Kaplan is a Communication Studies major at Wingate.)