Wingate, N.C.---- The 17th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs defensive unit came up big Saturday afternoon, holding the league leaders in goals, the Newberry College Wolves, to a season low six goals in an 18-6 victory in South Atlantic Conference men's lacrosse action. The two-time defending SAC tournament champion Bulldogs are 8-3 overall and 4-1 in league play, while the Wolves fall to 8-4 overall and 2-3 in conference play.

THOUGHTS FROM TIM BOYLE

"The first quarter was a battle today. We were getting good looks at the net but their keeper was coming up big with nine saves in the quarter. We started dodging harder and getting good looks at the cage in the second and the game started to open up for us. Our face-off unit did a great job and the defense played strong today, holding down an attack unit that had a combined 130 points. We are happy with our play today, but have a short turn-around to get ready for a solid Coker team Wednesday."
  
KEY STATS
 
- Wingate out-shot Newberry 66-37
- 'Dogs held a 38-19 advantage in shots on goal
- The Bulldogs had 42 ground balls, compared to 29 for the Wolves
- WU won 17 face-offs, NC won 11
- Newberry couldn't convert on the only man-up opportunity
 
KEY BULLDOGS
 
- Alex Llerandi had a game-high four goals, also handing out one assist
- Bobby Padden piled up three goals and three assists for a game-high six points
- Dominic Piazza had three goals in three shots
- Dylan Barry notched two goals
- Sean Moran registered a game-high 10 ground balls
- 10 Bulldogs scored at least one goal Saturday
- Wyatt Weiseman won 10-of-14 face-offs and scored one goal
- James Kotcamp won seven-of-11 face-offs
- Alex Cordero collected 12 saves for the 'Dogs
 
NOTES
 
- Wingate improves to 2-0 all time against Newberry, winning the first ever meeting at Graham Gill Field
- The 'Dogs tie a season-high with 18 goals
- Wingate piled up a season-high 66 shots, tying the season high of 38 shots on goal
- The Bulldogs scored 18 goals, which ties a season high
- Moran's 10 ground balls collected are a new career high
- Llerandi scored his 100th career goal as a Bulldog

FIRST PERIOD
 
- Newberry got on the board quick when Stone Boone found the back of the net at the 14:04 mark
- Wingate tied it at 1-1 with a Padden goal with 9:58 remaining
- Weiseman won the draw and scored to make it 2-1 just nine seconds later
- The Wolves would get another goal from Boone to make it 2-2 with 8:02 to go
- Neither team would score for the next nine minutes of play
 
SECOND PERIOD
 
- Wingate came out hot in the second quarter, going on a 4-0 run
- Llerandi scored the first goal of the frame at the 14:04 mark
- Piazza added a goal in the flurry, while Padden would find the back of the net twice, the final goal coming with 11:49 remaining
- Newberry would make it a two-goal game, getting goals from Boone and Zachary Sunderland
- Llerandi netted his 100th career goal with three minutes remaining the first half
- WU would go up by four when Llerandi found the back of the net with three seconds to go until the half
 
THIRD PERIOD
 
- Newberry notched the first goal of the second half when Dylan Mansur found the back of the net just 43 seconds in
- The WU defensive unit would hold the wolves scoreless for the next 19 minutes of play
- The Bulldogs went on an 8-0 run spanning over 15 minutes
- Conor Gronbach scored at the 13:40 mark to give the 'Dogs a 9-5 lead
- Joe Cooper and Piazza also scored in the flurry
- Wingate got a goal from Gary Pierpont with 3:56 remaining
- Barry capped the scoring in the frame with 1:15 to go, making it 14-5

FOURTH PERIOD
 
- Wingate extended the lead to 10 when Barry found the back of the net again
- Llerandi scored another goal with 12:07 left to play
- The Wolves got their final goal of the game from Brady Kearnan at the 10:10 mark
- With 6:57 remaining Ryan Ormerod found the back of the net to make it 17-6
- Stefan Caray capped the scoring with a goal at the 4:13 mark
 
UP NEXT
 
- Wingate host Coker Wednesday at 7 pm
- The Bulldogs wrap up the regular season home slate against Tusculum next Saturday on Senior Day