Wingate, N.C.---- Wingate University freshman attack Danny Riley poured in five goals in his collegiate debut Saturday afternoon, while the Bulldog defense stifled visiting North Greenville University in a 9-3 season-opening victory in NCAA Division II men's lacrosse action at Graham Gill Field. The three-time defending South Atlantic Conference tournament champion Bulldogs start the season 1-0 while the Crusaders start the 2020 season 0-1.
 
THOUGHTS FROM TIM BOYLE
 
"Early season lacrosse is always chaotic. We are excited that we came out and competed and were able to come on the winning end. Hats off to North Greenville they battled every minute. We are excited to move forward and get ready for Mercyhurst."
 
THOUGHTS FROM DANNY RILEY
 
"Just wow. The team played great. We were clicking, we started off a bit slow. But we got it rolling and I found the back of the net. It felt great, I had two years off and this was a great start."
 
KEY STATS
 
- Wingate outshot North Greenville 55-31
- The 'Dogs held a 24-16 advantage in shots on goal
- The Bulldogs had 31 ground balls, compared to 16 for the Crusaders
- WU won nine face-offs, NGU won five
- Wingate was two-for-two on extra-man opportunities; North Greenville went zero-for-four
 
KEY BULLDOGS
 
- Riley had a game-high five goals, also collecting two groundballs
- Daniel Godwin added a goal and an assist
- Dominic Piazza contributed a goal and two groundballs
- Josh Ferentinos and Joe Cooper each notched a goal for the 'Dogs
- Bobby Padden handed out a game-high three assists
- Reese Orman and Daman Lingasin dished out one assist apiece
- Noah Ehinger won eight-of-11 face-offs
- Edward Erickson collected 13 saves in his collegiate debut
 
NOTES
 
- Wingate improves to 2-0 all-time against NGU, winning their first home game against the Crusaders
- Fourth straight year with a 1-0 start under Tim Boyle
- Third time in Boyle's four-year tenure winning the home opener
- Riley's five goals are the third-most by player in a game during the Boyle era

FIRST PERIOD
 
- NGU got on the board first with a nAustin Dixon goal at the 12:40 mark
- Wingate answered with a Ferentinos goal three minutes later
- The 'Dogs took the 2-1 lead on a Cooper goal at the eight-minute mark
- The Crusaders would tie it with 4:20 remaining in the first frame
- With 1:08 to go, Godwin would give Wingate the 3-2 advantage
 
SECOND PERIOD
 
- North Greenville won three-of-four face-offs in the frame
- WU struck first when Padden found Piazza at the 9:31 mark
- The Bulldogs would stretch their lead to three when Riley netted his first career goal on a man-up opportunity
- In the final minute the Crusaders got another Dixon goal to make it 5-3 at half
 
THIRD PERIOD
 
- The Wingate Defense held NGU scoreless in the second half
- Riley would get his second goal of the afternoon at the 12:21 mark
- WU would get another Riley goal to solidify the hat trick with 5:30 to go
- The final goal of the frame was Riley's fourth of the afternoon to give the 'Dogs the 8-3 lead

FOURTH PERIOD
 
- Wingate took 16 shots in the final frame, registering six shots on goal
- North Greenville had three shots on goal in the final 15 minutes of action
- The only goal in the last period came when Padden found the cutting Riley with 8:42 remaining
 
UP NEXT
 
- Wingate opens the season on a four-game home stand, hosting fourth-ranked Mercyhurst next Saturday at 1 p.m.
- The Bulldogs then host Westminster on February 16
- WU rounds out the home stand with #8 UIndy on Feb. 22