Championship Central

Jefferson City, Tenn.----The Wingate University Bulldogs are the number six seed in this week's South Atlantic Conference men's soccer tournament, which gets underway Tuesday. Wingate is traveling to Tennessee to take on the third-seeded Tusculum University Pioneers at 7 p.m. in the quarterfinals. Wingate enters postseason play at 8-5-1 overall after going 6-4 in league play and finishing in a three-way tie for fourth. Tusuclum is 9-6-1 overall after posting a 6-3-1 record in the SAC to finish alone in third place in the conference standings.

The Bulldogs are the defending SAC Tournament champions, winning their fourth SAC Tourney title in program history in 2017 with a 2-1 double-overtime victory over Queens. Wingate also won the championship in 2015, with the NCAA Division II national title coming between the two SAC tournament championships in 2016.

Wingate closed out the regular season by winning three of its last four contests, capped with last Monday's 3-0 victory over Coker. Elliot Cutts scored a pair of goals, with Joshua Caro netting his first career goal to move the 'Dogs into the fourth-place tie in the final league standings.

The Bulldogs are 12-13-1 all-time against the Pioneers, with a 4-5 mark at Tusculum. Wingate defeated Tusculum 1-0 last month at Pride Park, with Oscar Perez scoring in the 37th minute off a Federico Andreani assist. Pablo Jara collected two saves to preserve the shutout. The 'Dogs have won three straight against the Pioneers, which includes a 2-1 victory the last time the two teams met at Tusculum in 2017.

Cutts leads the Wingate offense with six goals, adding two assists for a team-best 14 points. Nate Evans has five goals on the year, with Soren Nygaard adding three goals and two assists. Perez and Marco Sellen have three goals apiece for the Bulldogs.

Wingate ranks sixth in the SAC in goals per game and goals-against average. The 'Dogs are second in the conference with six shutouts on the season. The Bulldogs allowed only one goal in seven matches at Pride Park.

Jara has collected 41 saves on the season, posting a 1.54 goals-against average and .683 save percentage while notching four shutouts on the year. The three-time All-American goalkeeper has 32 career shutouts, ranking second in league history.
Tusculum ranks fourth in the SAC, scoring 1.88 goals per game while collecting a league-best 25 assists. The Pioneers ranks fourth with a 1.11 goals-against average while notching a conference-high eight shutouts this season. Henrique Devens leads the Pioneers with six goals, while Pau Peiro ranks fourth in the league with four assists. Goalkeeper Alejandro Quiriti ranks third in the SAC in goals-against average and fourth in save percentage.

The winner of the Wingate vs. Tusculum match advances to Friday's SAC Tournament semifinals at Manchester Meadows in Rock Hill, S.C. to face the winner of the Queens vs. Carson-Newman match. That semifinal contest is slated for a 7 p.m. start Friday night. The SAC Tournament championship match is Sunday at 4 p.m. in Rock Hill.  

WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
A comprehensive, independent and growing university, Wingate serves more than 3,600 students in North Carolina. Founded in 1896, the University offers 37 undergraduate majors as well as graduate and professional programs. Wingate is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences, the Levine College of Health Sciences, the Byrum School of Business, the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences. Wingate blends in-class exploration with out-of-class application to deliver an uncommon and life-changing educational experience.
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past 12 years. Wingate is first in the 2000s among NCAA Division II and North Carolina's colleges and universities with 105 CoSIDA Academic All-America® selections. Wingate is tops among all SAC schools with 114 lifetime Academic All-America® honorees. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com. Current news and videos can be found at www.wingate.edu.