Salisbury, N.C.----The 15th-ranked Wingate University men's lacrosse team finished the game on a 10-0 run, collecting a 13-1 South Atlantic Conference triumph over Catawba College in Shuford Stadium and Kirkland Field Saturday night. The Bulldogs are 8-3 overall and 4-2 in the SAC. The Catawba Indians are 6-6 overall and 3-3 in the SAC.

The one goal allowed by the Bulldogs is the lowest output for a WU opponent since Wingate blanked Lees-McRae 27-0 in a non-conference contest on March 1, 2014. Prior to Saturday, Wingate's lowest SAC opponent's goal total was three when the Bulldogs defeated Tusculum 15-3 on April 12, 2014. Wingate has allowed single-digit goals in five of six SAC games this season.
 
Wingate junior attack Jeremy Sullivan (Crofton, Md.) got things going for the visitors when he tallied an unassisted goal 57 seconds into the contest. Sullivan's score would be the only goal of the first quarter.
 
Sullivan struck again at the 11:08 mark of the second stanza, doubling Wingate's lead to 2-0. Bulldog sophomore attack Alex Llerandi (Marietta, Ga.) scored his first goal of the contest with five minutes left in the second period, making the score 3-0 Bulldogs. WU senior attack Austin Murphy (Orillia, Ontario) dished the first of his team-high three assists on the scoring play.
 
Catawba sophomore midfielder Joe Barber (Upper Marlboro, Md.) scored the hosts' only goal 45 seconds later. The man-down tally made the score 3-1 Wingate with 4:28 to play in the second quarter. Bulldog sophomore attack Ryan Ormerod (Lake Mary, Fla.) concluded the first half scoring on an assist from classmate Daniel Godwin (Greensboro, N.C.) with 2:48 remaining in the second frame.
 
The Ormerod goal began the aforementioned 10-0 run. Neither team would score in the third quarter, as the Bulldogs would pile on nine goals in the fourth period. Both Llerandi and Ormerod would score twice each in the fourth frame. Murphy had two of his assists in the final 15 minutes, while Ormerod and Sullivan would add one helper each.
 
Wingate junior goalie Will Sheridan (Woodstock, Ga.) played 54-plus minutes, collecting the victory. He allowed only one goal and posted seven saves. Bulldog senior goalie Michael Connor (Stockport, England) faced four shots in five minutes and change. He did not record any saves. Catawba senior goalie Ryan Applegate (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) took the loss. In 60 minutes, he surrendered 13 goals and recorded 14 saves.
 
The Bulldogs dominated the statistical ledger, outshooting the Indians 45-29. Ormerod and Llerandi had three goals each, while Sullivan added two markers. Eight different Bulldogs scored a goal Saturday. Wingate had 30 ground balls, compared to 18 for Catawba. Wingate sophomore midfielder Wyatt Weiseman (Jensen Beach, Fla.) won 11-of-15 face-offs for the visitors.
 
Wingate steps away from the SAC fray for its next contest, facing number four Mercyhurst (Pa.) on Sunday, April 9 in Ashland, Va. The first face-off is slated for 12 noon. The last time the Bulldogs and the Lakers played, (then) number 11 Mercyhurst claimed a 9-8 quadruple overtime victory on Day Field in Ashland on Feb. 21, 2016 (Day Field is found on the campus of Randolph-Macon College). Catawba returns to SAC play next Saturday (April 8), visiting Brevard for a 2 p.m. encounter.