Wingate, N.C.----The ninth-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs scored the second-most goals in program history Saturday afternoon, rolling to a 26-6 victory over Mars Hill University in South Atlantic Conference men's lacrosse action at Graham Gill Field. Wingate improves to 6-1 overall and 4-1 in the SAC, while the Lions fall to 3-6 overall and 1-5 in league play. The 26 goals are the second-most in WU MLAX history, one shy of the 27-goal effort against Lees-McRae March 1, 2014. It is the most goals by the Bulldogs in a league game.

KEY STATS

- Wingate outshot Mars Hill 72-21 on the day
- The Bulldogs had a 35-11 advantage in shots on goal
- The 'Dogs committed 20 turnovers; the Lions had 21 turnovers
- Mars Hill was 17-for-23 on clear attempts; Wingate was 19-for-21
- The Bulldogs had 48 of the 63 ground balls
- WU won 28 face-offs, compared to 8 for the Lions

KEY BULLDOGS
 
- Danny Riley led the Bulldogs with a career-high six goals
- Bobby Padden added four goals and four assists, along with eight ground balls; career-high for points and ground balls
- Noah Ehinger won 14-of-17 face-offs and scored two goals; James Kotcamp won 14-of-19 face-offs
- Adam Vodovnik, Marc Cottage and Aidan McMahon contributed two goals apiece
- Willie Grieco registered two goals and four assists on the day
- John Natoli picked up four ground balls
- James Houston had three caused turnovers and two ground balls
- KC Carlson and Edward Erickson collected two saves apiece
 
FIRST PERIOD
 
- Mars Hill scored two of the first three goals, with Riley notching the lone WU goal
- Wingate scored the next eight goals of the frame
- Padden tied the game at two with 11:56 remaining
- The Bulldogs then scored an incredible four goals in 32 seconds to blow it open  
- Riley, Vodovnik, Ehinger and Grieco scored between the 10:52 mark and the 10:20 mark to make it 6-2
- Three additional goals from Riley, Grieco and Vodovnik extended the Bulldog advantage to 9-2
- A MHU goal from Trevor Kennedy capped the scoring in the first period
 
SECOND PERIOD
 
- A Padden goal within the first two minutes of the period put Wingate up 10-3
- The next two goals came from Riley and Mike DiLegge, making it 12-3 with 7:07 to go
- A Padden goal assisted by Grieco pushed the lead to 10 at 13-3 with five minutes left in the half
- Riley and Padden capped the scoring in the half, giving the 'Dogs a 15-3 advantage
 
THIRD PERIOD

- The first goal of the second half came from Riley, extending the lead to 13
- Wingate's next two goals from Liam Johnson and Noah Taylor to make it 18-3
- MHU scored with 7:26 to go, but the Bulldogs scored the next four
- McMahon and Cottage scored a goal each, making it 20-4 with two minutes left in the period
- Goals from Zachary Pizzimenti and Ben Robertson put WU on top by 18

FOURTH PERIOD

- The first goal of the period came with 6:13 left to play for Mars Hill
- Wingate increased their lead 23-5 with a goal from Cottage 
- The Bulldogs struck twice in a 15-second span to make it 25-6, getting goals from McMahon and Ehinger
- The final goal of the game came from Tyler Dooley, making the final margin 26-6

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Wednesday, traveling to Catawba for a 7 p.m. start
- The 'Dogs host Lincoln Memorial next Sunday at 3 p.m.