Wingate, N.C.----The third-ranked Queens University Royals took advantage of a 9-1 second quarter to earn a 19-12 road victory over Wingate University Wednesday afternoon in South Atlantic Conference women's lacrosse action at Graham Gill Field. Queens improves to 7-0 overall and 2-0 in the SAC, while the Bulldogs drop to 6-2 overall and 2-1 in league play.

KEY STATS

- Queens out-shot Wingate 37-24
- The Royals held a 29-19 advantage in shots on goal
- The 'Dogs committed 32 turnovers; Queens had 24 turnovers
- Queens was 21-for-23 on clear attempts, while holding WU to 18-of-29
- The Royals had 22 of 40 ground balls
- QU won 20 of 35 draw controls

KEY BULLDOGS

­- Leah Knowles led the way with four goals, two ground balls, two caused turnovers and two draw controls
- Bella Pellet added two goals, three ground balls, four CTs and two draw controls
- Becca Ruiz had a goal and an assist, along with a team-high six draw controls
- Avery Scherer recorded two goals on three shots
- Kayleigh Hiles had a goal and an assist
- Abby Burke and Kaleigh Wilgeroth each found the back of the net for the Bulldogs
- Megan Biase made 10 saves in the cage

FIRST PERIOD

- Queens got on the board first off a Shannon Kingston score
- Hiles and Knowles each answered with scores to take an early 2-1 lead
- Scherer matched a Royal goal with a goal of her own a minute later, retaining a one-score advantage
- Shannon Donovan found the back of the net for Queens, but Knowles responded, giving the 'Dogs a 4-3 lead at the 5:28 mark
- Wingate took advantage of a man-up opportunity, as Scherer cashed in to extend the lead to 5-3
- Kaitlyn Hardin scored with less than 10 seconds to go, cutting the Queens deficit to one score after 15 minutes

SECOND PERIOD

-The Royals scored the first six goals of the second period, taking a 10-5 lead at the 6:21 mark
- Wilgeroth scored on a Ruiz assist to cut into the QU advantage
- Queens scored three more times in the frame, taking a 13-6 lead into the break

THIRD PERIOD

- Wingate made adjustments early in the second half, as Knowles, Pellet and Ruiz scored unanswered goals out of the gate to nearly cut the deficit in half
- Pellet matched a Caroline Krauch score to keep Wingate within arms' distance
- The Royals added to their lead in the final four minutes, scoring a pair of goals to take a 16-10 lead

FOURTH PERIOD

- Kyleigh Masteran scored first in the fourth period to extend the QU lead
- Knowles and Burke scored back-to-back to once again bring the lead within five
- The Royals scored twice more the rest of the way and did not allow a Wingate score for the final seven and a half minutes

UP NEXT

­- The 'Dogs hit the road on March 25 for a Friday SAC matchup with UVA Wise at 1 p.m.
- Wingate returns to Graham Gill Field on Saturday, April 2, hosting Lincoln Memorial at 4 p.m.