Wingate, N.C.----University of Mount Olive sophomore midfielder Kiara Burke (East Patchogue, N.Y.) had six goals to propel the Trojans to a 9-8 NCAA Division II women's lacrosse victory over Wingate University Sunday afternoon at Graham Gill Field. Burke had three goals in each half.
 
Burke's free-position goal at the 11:12 mark of the second half gave the Trojans their first lead at 7-6. The visitors would not relinquish the lead the rest of the way. Three players had two goals each for Wingate: sophomore attack Kendall Wells (Elkridge, Md.), sophomore midfielder Casey Roux (Rochester, N.Y.) and freshman midfielder Nina Cifolilli (Kent Island, Md.).
 
GAME INFORMATION
 
Score: Mount Olive 9, Wingate 8
Records: Mount Olive 4-1 overall, Wingate 1-3 overall 
Location: Graham Gill Field at the Irwin Belk Track Complex, Wingate, N.C.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

-Wells had four points (two goals, two assists) to lead the Bulldog offense.
-WU senior attack Madison LaBarbera (Colchester, Conn.) led both teams with three assists.
-Mount Olive held the upper hand in shots (27-23) and ground balls (23-20).
-Wingate won 11 of the 19 draw controls.
-Both teams made one free-position goal in six chances.
-The Bulldogs had 21 turnovers, compared to 16 miscues for the Trojans.
-Both goalies played 60 minutes each. Wingate junior Arion Pierre (Haymarket, Va.) had 12 saves, while UMO junior Samantha Thomson (Coquitlam, B.C.) posted 11 saves.

HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Half
 
Cifolilli (28:51) and Roux (28:30) scored the first two goals of the game to give the hosts an early cushion. A score from junior midfielder and team captain Emily Ketron (Mason, Ohio) put the Bulldogs up 4-2 at the 19:56 mark. Burke and UMO junior midfielder Skye Bradley (Louisville, Colo.) finished the first half scoring to tie the contest 4-4 at intermission.

Second Half

Wells (28:56) and Cifolilli (26:30) started the second half scoring to put the Bulldogs up 6-4. The Trojans responded with four unanswered goals (three by Burke) to take an 8-6 lead with 11 minutes left. Wingate cut the deficit to one on two occasions down the stretch, but the Bulldogs could not get any closer.
 
TURNING POINT
 
Burke sparked the aforementioned 4-0 run with three goals to lead the Trojans to victory.
 
NOTABLES

-The Mount Olive contest is the second of six consecutive home games for the Bulldogs. Wingate hosts Concordia-St. Paul (March 3), Findlay (March 7), Lenoir-Rhyne (March 10) and Belmont Abbey (March 14) to complete the string.
 
QUOTABLES
 
Wingate interim head women's lacrosse coach Kirsten Smith: "We struggled transitioning the ball and finishing our shots. We will go back to work and get ready for Concordia-St. Paul Saturday."
 
NEXT ON THE AGENDA

Wingate hosts Concordia-St. Paul Saturday at 1 p.m. Mount Olive visits Emmanuel (Ga.) the same day at 12 noon.