Wingate, N.C.----Lenoir-Rhyne University junior attack Joe Buduo (Shrewsbury, Mass.) had four goals and three assists, boosting the number six Bears to a 13-11 South Atlantic Conference men's lacrosse victory over Wingate University Saturday afternoon at Graham Gill Field. A 6-1 run spanning the second, third and fourth quarters lifted LRU to the win.
 
Wingate junior midfielder Conor Gronbach (Cary, N.C.) had four goals to lead the host Bulldogs. WU sophomore attack Josh Ferentinos (Gaithersburg, Md.) had one goal and a team-best three assists. The contest was the SAC opener for both schools.
 
GAME INFORMATION
 
Score: #6 Lenoir-Rhyne 13, Wingate 11
Records: #6 Lenoir-Rhyne 7-1 overall (1-0 SAC), Wingate 2-4 overall (0-1 SAC)
Location: Graham Gill Field at the Irwin Belk Track Complex, Wingate, N.C.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
 
-Wingate outshot Lenoir-Rhyne 34-24. Both teams had 21 shots on goal.
-The Bulldogs held a slight 26-22 edge in ground balls.
-Lenoir-Rhyne made the most of its extra-man opportunities, scoring three goals on four chances. Wingate had one EMO goal in five tries.
-The Bears won 14-of-27 face-offs with senior midfielder Shane Gottberg (Mooresville, N.C.) winning all 14.
-LRU senior goalie Ryan Crompton (Frederick, Md.) picked up the victory. In 60 minutes, he had 10 saves while allowing 11 goals. WU graduate student goalie Jacob Ormerod (Lake Mary, Fla.) also went the distance. He posted eight saves and surrendered 13 goals.

HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Quarter
 
Wingate senior attack Jeremy Sullivan (Crofton, Md.) started the scoring at the 13:54 mark. Neither team led by more than one goal in the first quarter. Buduo had one goal and two assists as the Bears took a 4-3 lead after the first 15 minutes. LRU freshman attack Myles Moffat (Airdie, Alberta) had two goals in the first frame. Gronbach and junior midfielder Wyatt Weiseman (Jensen Beach, Fla.) had goals for the Bulldogs.
 
Second Quarter
 
The Bulldogs scored the first three goals of the second stanza to take a 6-4 lead at the 9:26 mark, thanks to a goal by Ferentinos. Bulldog junior attack Alex Llerandi (Marietta, Ga.) and Gronbach also contributed goals to the 3-0 mini-run. Wingate score only one goal the rest of the quarter, as Buduo posted two goals to help LRU take an 8-7 lead at intermission.
 
Third Quarter
 
Gronbach scored an unassisted goal to start the third quarter (6:19) to tie the game for the seventh (and final) time. The Bears concluded the aforementioned 6-1 run with two goals in the third quarter and two goals to start the fourth quarter.
 
Fourth Quarter
 
LRU senior midfielder Ben Corrigan (Alpharetta, Ga.) finished the 6-1 flurry with an unassisted goal at the 13-minute mark, making the score 12-8 Bears. Wingate finished the contest with a 3-1 push, including the first career goal by freshman attack Liam Johnson (Appleton, Wis.) at the 8:15 mark.
 
TURNING POINT
 
Lenoir-Rhyne's 6-1 run broke open a tight game.
 
NEXT ON THE AGENDA

Wingate travels to Mars Hill Saturday, March 17 for a 2 p.m. SAC game. Lenoir-Rhyne visits Tusculum the same day for a 3 p.m. league encounter.