Wingate, N.C.----The Lenoir-Rhyne University women's lacrosse team scored the final nine goals of the game, taking a 15-8 South Atlantic Conference victory over Wingate University Saturday afternoon at Graham Gill Field. Junior midfielder Rachel Elmore (White Plains, Md.) led the Bears with seven goals.
 
Lenoir-Rhyne junior attack Gabby Sousa (Delran, N.J.) added four goals and one assist for the visitors. For Wingate, sophomore attack Kendall Wells (Elkridge, Md.) had three goals and one assist. Freshman midfielder Nina Cifolilli (Kent Island, Md.) had two goals and one assist.
 
GAME INFORMATION
 
Score: Lenoir-Rhyne 15, Wingate 8
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne 2-4 overall (2-0 SAC), Wingate 1-6 overall (0-1 SAC)
Location: Graham Gill Field at the Irwin Belk Track Complex, Wingate, N.C.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

-LRU sophomore attack Cathleen Gaffney (Allentown, Pa.) had one goal and a game-high three assists for the Bears.
-Wingate outshot Lenoir-Rhyne 32-26 with a 21-12 advantage in the first half.
-The Bears won 16 draw controls, compared to nine victories for the Bulldogs.
-Lenoir-Rhyne senior goalie Ines Flueck (Coppell, Texas) picked up the win. In 60 minutes, she allowed eight goals and recorded 11 saves.
-Wingate junior Arion Pierre (Haymarket, Va.) took the loss. In 55 minutes played, Pierre had three saves with 12 goals allowed. Bulldog freshman goalie Marley Blycher (Leesburg, Va.) played the final five minutes. She had one save with three goals surrendered.

HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Half
 
Wingate scored four of the first six goals, taking a 4-2 lead on a Wells goal with 9:27 to play. Lenoir-Rhyne finished the half on a 4-1 run to take a 6-5 edge to the halftime locker room. Elmore scored her second goal of the opening frame (on a Sousa assist) to complete the first half scoring with 69 seconds to play. Elmore's goal made the score 6-5 Bears.
 
Second Half

Three WU student-athletes scored one goal each to put Wingate up 8-6 early in the second stanza. Wells started the spurt with her 23rd goal of the season (28:49). Junior midfielder Megan Amrein (Abingdon, Md.) followed two minutes later to break the 6-6 tie. Sophomore attack Joanna King (Lancaster, Pa.) assisted on both the Wells goal and the Amrein goal.
 
Cifolilli completed the 3-0 run with a goal at the 25:51 mark. She was assisted on the play by senior attack Madison LaBarbera (Colchester, Conn.). Elmore and the Bears stormed back with nine straight goals. Elmore scored the game-winner at the 17:58 mark, giving the visitors a 9-8 edge. Elmore would add four additional goals for good measure.
 
TURNING POINT
 
Lenoir-Rhyne scored nine unanswered goals to put the game away.
 
NOTABLES

-Wingate interim head coach Kirsten Smith is a Lenoir-Rhyne alumnus. She was a team captain for the Bears women's lacrosse team her senior season.
-Lenoir-Rhyne assistant coach Adrianna Piontek spent two years on the Wingate staff as an assistant coach.
 
NEXT ON THE AGENDA

Wingate plays game six of a six-game home stand Wednesday, hosting Belmont Abbey College at 4 p.m. Lenoir-Rhyne visits the University of Tampa the same day at 5 p.m.