VIDEO | All Five Goals

Wingate, N.C.----The 15th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs piled up five goals Sunday afternoon, taking down ninth-ranked Young Harris College in round two of the NCAA Division II men's soccer Super Region 2 Sunday afternoon at Pride Park. Wingate improves to 14-2-3 overall, while Young Harris finishes 12-5 on the season.
 
THOUGHTS FROM COACH GARY HAMILL

"Absolutely fantastic. It was such a great result against a very good team. They are a perennial powerhouse and I can't be happier than I am right now. I am delighted for the guys; our goal was simple and the team has far surpassed that. I have belief and they have belief and we have the ability and the determination. When you get into the NCAA tournament, you just have to win one and keep moving on."

KEY STATS

- Wingate outshot Young Harris 18-13
- WU registered 10 shots on goal compared to six for YHC
- The Mountain Lions took eight corners on the afternoon, the Bulldogs took two
- The 'Dogs committed 14 of the 20 fouls on the afternoon
- Daniel Kuper scored a pair of goals for the Bulldogs
- Paul Ngongo added a goal and an assist
- Mikkel Fahlen Bruun and Stuart Hendry also scored for Wingate
- Soren Nygaard added an assist for the Bulldogs
- Jens Bergendorff collected three saves for the Bulldogs  
 
NOTES

- This was the first meeting between Wingate and Young Harris
- Wingate advances to the third round of the NCAA Super Region 2
- The 'Dogs are in the third round for the third time in program history
- The 2016 national champs move to 11-7-1 all-time in the NCAA Tournament
- The Bulldogs are 8-0-1 in the last nine games, outscoring opponents 31-4
- Wingate ranks in the top five nationally in scoring offense and points per game
- Sixth time this season the 'Dogs have scored at least five goals in a game
- Most goals Young Harris has allowed in a game this season
- The Mountain Lions had only allowed multiple goals in four of 17 games
- 19th goal of the season for SAC and Region Player of the Year Ngongo
- The freshman ranks in the top three nationally in goals and points
- He has scored in nine straight games, piling up 14 goals and two assists in the stretch
- First career multi-goal game for Kuper
- Fahlen Bruun now has four goals and four assists in his freshman season
- Career-high fifth goal of the season for Hendry
- Team-best sixth assist of the year for Nygaard
 
FIRST HALF

- Young Harris got on the board first, converting a penalty kick in the third minute of action
- Wingate got the equalizer six minutes later
- Nygaard sent a through ball forward for Ngongo, whose first shot was deflected by the keeper
- Ngongo got the rebound and ripped one into the back of the net
- Each team would get one more shot on goal in the first 45 minutes but go into half tied at 1-1

SECOND HALF

- The action got started just nine minutes into the second half
- After a blocked shot and a save, Kuper collected the rebound in front of the goal, then beat the keeper near post to put WU on top
- Kuper struck again four minutes later to make it 3-1
- Niclas Wittur ripped the ball forward from the back line, finding the foot of Ngongo
- He laid it out to the left wing, connecting with Kuper, who flicked it between the keeper and the near post
- The Mountain Lions were not going away quietly, getting their second goal in the 62nd minute of play
- Anthony Gimenes collected a loose ball in the box and rolled it inside the far post to make it 3-2
- Wingate answered in the 77th minute to push the lead back to two
- Nygaard won the ball in the defensive third and raced past the YHC defense
- He got into the box and found Fahlen Bruun, who chipped it past the keeper to make it 4-2
- Wingate capped the scoring in the 85th minute
- Elliot Cutts got it started at midfield, serving one to Hendry on the left wing
- The senior ripped one home from the left edge of the box to give the 'Dogs the three-goal lead

UP NEXT

- Wingate advances to the third round of the NCAA Super Region 2
- The Bulldogs will face #7 Palm Beach Atlantic in round three
- The contest will take place Dec. 5 in Boca Raton, Fla.
- The winner will face the winner of the Lynn vs. Florida Tech match on Dec. 7 
- The NCAA Division II national semifinals and finals will take place in Pittsburgh, Pa.