Mars Hill, N.C.----Wingate University midfielder/attack Morgan Akers (La Plata, Md.) exploded for a career-high six goals, lifting the Bulldogs to a 23-11 South Atlantic Conference women's lacrosse victory over Mars Hill University Saturday at Meares Stadium. WU sophomore attack Kendall Wells (Elkridge, Md.) had five goals.
 
GAME INFORMATION
 
Score: Wingate 23, Mars Hill 11
Records: Wingate 2-7 overall (1-1 SAC); Mars Hill 2-4 overall (0-1 SAC)
Location: Meares Stadium, Mars Hill, N.C.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

-Four Wingate players scored multiple goals. In addition to Akers and Wells, freshman midfielder Ellie Gottschalk (Bel Air, Md.) had four goals (a career-best) and sophomore midfielder Casey Roux (Rochester, N.Y.) had three goals.
-MHU senior attack Olivia Hokanson (Crofton, Md.) led the Lions with four goals.
-Wingate outshot Mars Hill 36-30. The Bulldogs held a 33-22 advantage in ground balls.
-Both teams had success with the free-position shots. Wingate made eight in 12 tries, while Mars Hill converted six in 10 efforts.
-Bulldog junior goalie Arion Pierre (Haymarket, Va.) played the first half, allowing seven goals and posting three saves. WU freshman goalie Marley Blycher (Leesburg, Va.) played the second half. She gave up four goals and recorded four saves.
-Mars Hill freshman goalie Alexandria Holleran (Hendersonville, Tenn.) played 60 minutes. She allowed 23 goals with six saves.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Half
 
Gottschalk posted an unassisted goal to give Wingate a 9-2 lead with 11:33 left in the first half. Mars Hill rallied, cutting the deficit to 11-7 on a goal by Hokanson at the 2:41 mark. The Bulldogs led 13-7 at intermission.
 
Second Half
 
Mars Hill cut the deficit to five with a man-advantage goal at the 27:54 mark, but the Lions would get no closer. Akers scored back-to-back goals (18:00, 17:29) to put the Bulldogs up 17-10. The two Akers' goals started a 7-0 run for the visitors, turning a 15-10 lead into a 22-10 advantage on a Wells goal with 11:35 remaining.
 
TURNING POINT
 
Wingate's 7-0 second half run put the game out of reach.
 
NOTABLES

-Mars Hill is playing its first year of women's lacrosse.
-Wingate is celebrating its fifth anniversary of women's lacrosse. The Bulldogs advanced to the SAC tournament championship game in 2017.
-Three Mars Hill women's lacrosse student-athletes are also members of the Lions' women's basketball team.
  
QUOTABLES
 
Wingate interim head women's lacrosse coach Kirsten Smith: "We are so proud of a full team effort today. We made some mistakes in the first half, but adjusted accordingly for the second half. Our girls definitely played hard for each other today and everyone was able to contribute. We are ready to prepare for another tough conference game on Wednesday."
 
NEXT ON THE AGENDA

Wingate hosts Catawba for an important South Atlantic Conference contest Wednesday at 4 p.m. Mars Hill entertains SAC foe Lincoln Memorial the same day at 5 p.m.