Wingate, N.C. ---- The second-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs used an 8-3 second period to defeat the fourth-ranked Mercyhurst University Lakers at Graham Gill Field on Saturday afternoon in a top-five matchup between two of last year's national semifinalists. The Bulldogs improve to 2-0, while the Lakers drop to 0-1.

KEY STATS

- Mercyhurst held a 44-43 advantage in shots
- Wingate had a slight 29-28 edge in shots on goal
- The Lakers had 16 turnovers opposed to the Bulldogs' five
- MU won 20 of the 31 face-offs
- The Lakers picked up 38 ground balls compared to the 'Dogs' 37
- Wingate was 11-for-14 on clears; Mercyhurst was 10-for-13
- The Lakers were 0-for-4 on extra-man opportunities, while the Bulldogs did not have an EMO

KEY BULLDOGS

- Willie Grieco scored a game-high four goals and added three assists
- Bobby Padden matched a career-high with five assists, while netting a pair of goals
- Adam Vodovnik also scored four goals for the Bulldogs
- Danny Riley and Daman Lingasin each had two goals in the contest
- Peyton Farley and John Natoli netted their first career goals for Wingate University
- Mike DiLegge forced a game-high three turnovers and added two ground balls
- Nick Arnold and Donovan Jones picked up four ground balls
- KC Carlson made 10 saves in the first half, while John Caponi made six saves and allowed just five goals in relief in the second half

FIRST PERIOD

- Jacob Emerson's goal gave Mercyhurst a 1-0 lead less than three minutes in
- Lingasin got Wingate on the board three minutes later to knot the score
- The Lakers scored three consecutive goals to take a 4-1 lead with over four minutes to go in the first
- Grieco found Padden, who scored with 2:14 to go to cut the Wingate deficit to 4-2

SECOND PERIOD

- Grieco and Vodovnik scored just over two minutes apart to tie the game at four
- Mercyhurst regained the lead off a Myles Hamm goal with less than 10 minutes to go
- Natoli, Vodovnik and Riley scored within three minutes of each other as the 'Dogs took their first lead of the game
- Jonathan Scherer's goal was matched by Vodovnik, keeping the Wingate lead at two goals
- Bryce Johnson's goal was once again matched by Grieco and Riley scores, giving the 'Dogs a 10-7 lead at the halftime break

THIRD PERIOD

- Emerson scored for Mercyhurst to open the second half scoring
- Padden scored and then assisted on another Vodovnik goal, as Wingate took a 12-8 advantage
- Peyton Farley matched an Ethan Landymore score to keep the four-goal advantage
- Hamm found the back of the net with less than two minutes to go to cut the Laker deficit to 13-10

FOURTH PERIOD

- Grieco opened the fourth period scoring from a Padden assist at the 10:52 mark
- Hamm and Fiorini cut the Wingate lead to two with less than eight minutes to go
- Grieco scored off a turnover to give the 'Dogs the 15-12 lead
- Lingasin capped the scoring with a goal with less than a minute to go

UP NEXT

- The 'Dogs travel to Homewood Field in Baltimore, Md. to face off against the top-ranked team in the country and defending national champion LeMoyne on Sunday, Feb. 20 at noon
- Wingate returns to Graham Gill Field on March 1, hosting Mount Olive at 4 p.m.