Wingate, N.C.----Four players had four points each as number 20 Wingate University defeated Palm Beach Atlantic University 17-3 in NCAA Division II men's lacrosse action at Graham Gill Field Saturday. The two-time defending South Atlantic Conference champion Bulldogs are 3-1 overall, while the PBA Sailfish fall to 3-2 overall.
 
THOUGHTS FROM TIM BOYLE
 
"The boys came out ready to play today. We were able to get some really good looks at the cage and the defense stepped up and held their offense down. PBA is a solid second-year program and Coach (Stephen) Tempone has the team going in the right direction. We don't have long to enjoy this as we have a short turn-around to our Wednesday night game against a tough Florida Southern team."
 
KEY STATS
 
-Palm Beach Atlantic's three goals is an all-time low for the two-year-old Sailfish program
-Wingate starts 3-1 overall for the second time in head coach Tim Boyle's three seasons
-Wingate outshot PBA 53-32 with a 46-19 edge through three quarters
-The hosts held a 29-13 advantage in shots on goal
-The Bulldogs had 36 ground balls, compared to 34 for the Sailfish
-WU won 13-of-23 face-offs
-Neither team had any luck with extra-man opportunities, as PBA was zero-for-five and Wingate was zero-for-two
 
KEY BULLDOGS
 
-Joe Cooper, Alex Llerandi, Ryan Ormerod and Dominic Piazza had four points each
-Cooper, Llerandi and Piazza had three goals and one assist apiece
-Ormerod had two goals and a team-best two assists
-10 Bulldogs scored at least one goal Saturday
-Seven WU players dished out at least one assist
-James Kotcamp won 11-of-18 face-offs with a team-high four ground balls
Goalie Alex Cordero had eight saves and three ground balls in 52-plus minutes
-Anthony Picano played the final 7:43 in goal with two saves
 
FIRST PERIOD
 
-Llerandi opened the scoring exactly one minute into the contest on an assist from Conor Gronbach
-Cooper, Dylan Barry and Gary Pierpont added first-quarter goals for the hosts as the Bulldogs claimed a 4-1 lead
 
SECOND PERIOD
 
-Piazza scored twice in the frame (in a seven-second span) as Wingate took an 8-1 lead to the halftime locker room
-Ormerod assisted on the first Piazza goal (9:19), while Kotcamp won the ensuing face-off and assisted on the second Piazza score of the second stanza seven seconds later
 
THIRD PERIOD
 
-Seven different Bulldogs scored as Wingate exploded for seven goals
-Adam Vodovnik concluded the third-quarter scoring deluge with his first career goal (2:35)
 
FOURTH PERIOD
 
-Cooper and Josh Ferentinos scored goals to complete the Bulldog scoring
-Picano saw his first action in the Wingate Navy Blue and Vegas Gold as he relieved Cordero
 
UP NEXT
 
-Wingate will host its third consecutive Sunshine State Conference Wednesday, as Florida Southern comes to town for a 7 p.m. contest
-Palm Beach Atlantic continues its N.C. tour Monday, visiting Barton for a 1 p.m. contest