Championship Central

Jefferson City, Tenn.----The Wingate University Bulldogs are the number eight seed in this week's South Atlantic Conference women's soccer tournament, opening play Tuesday at 5 p.m. at top-seeded and 20th-ranked Carson-Newman. The Bulldogs enter the tournament at 7-6-2 overall and 4-5-1 in the SAC. The four-time defending regular season SAC champion Eagles are 12-3 overall, after going 9-1 in league play. Carson-Newman has also won each of the last three SAC Tournament titles.

The Bulldogs have seen plenty of SAC Tournament success over the past decade, playing in the SAC Tournament championship match each of the last eight seasons. Wingate has picked up three titles during that span. Wingate and Carson-Newman have met in each of the last three SAC title matches.

The Bulldogs closed out regular season play last Monday, cruising to a 7-0 victory over Coker behind Kimmi Moore's first career hat trick to go along with a two-goal, two-assist effort from Taylor Krakower. Wingate finished the season going 2-1-1 over its last four games, with the lone setback coming against Carson-Newman on Oct. 20 at Pride Park.

Wingate is 6-28-2 all-time against the Eagles, with a 3-14-1 record at Carson-Newman. The Eagles have won four straight over the Bulldogs. Wingate's last victory in Jefferson City came in 2013 when the 'Dogs rolled to a 4-1 victory at Carson-Newman.

Sophie Jendrzejczyk leads the Bulldogs with four goals this season, adding an assist to total nine points on the year. Krakower has three goals and a team-best four assists to lead the 'Dogs with 10 points. Moore and Colleen Zickert each have three goals and three assists, while McKenna DeLong has three goals and an assist on the year. Alicia Rubio Garcia has collected two goals and three assists, with Dayna Marshall also netting three goals for the Bulldogs. Gabby Fleischli is tied for the team lead with four assists while adding a goal.

The Wingate defense, which has led the SAC in goals-against average during the regular season each of the last three years, ranks sixth in the league this season, allowing 1.21 goals per contest. Abbey Frail leads the conference with 74 saves on the year, collecting five shutouts while posting a .796 save percentage.

Carson-Newman leads the league in goals, assists, points and shots, while ranking second in goals-against average. Magda Mosengo is second in the conference with 15 goals and 35 points while Emily Futrell ranks fifth in the league with eight goals. Mosengo scored at Wingate earlier this month, with Futrell collecting a pair of assists.

The winner of the Wingate vs. Carson-Newman match advances to Friday's SAC Tournament semifinals in Rock Hill, taking on the winner of the Anderson vs. Catawba match at 11 a.m. at Manchester Meadows. The SAC championship match is slated for Sunday at 1 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.