Gaffney, S.C.----The 10th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs scored six of seven goals over an eight-minute stretch in the fourth period on Sunday afternoon on Sunday cutting a seven-goal deficit to two, but fell short 17-14 at #6 Limestone University in the NCAA Division II Men's Lacrosse national quarterfinals. The Saints advance to the national semifinals and improve to 17-2 overall, while the Bulldogs' season ends at 13-5 overall.
 
KEY STATS
 
- Wingate out-shot Limestone 50-44
- The Bulldogs held a 30-29 advantage in shots on goal
- LU committed 23 turnovers compared to WU's 19
- The Saints were 25-of-30 on clear attempts, while holding the Bulldogs to 12-for-18
- Limestone had a 42-36 advantage in ground balls
- The Saints won 17 of 33 face-offs
 
KEY BULLDOGS
 
- Willie Grieco led the 'Dogs offensively with two goals and six assists
- Marc Cottage Jr. scored a team-high three goals
- Bobby Padden scored two goals in his final game as a Bulldog
- Daman Lingasin scored two goals and caused three turnovers
- Danny Riley posted a goal, an assist and four ground balls
- John Natoli had a goal, an assist and three ground balls
- Adam Vodovnik, Aidan McMahon and Mike DiLegge also scored for Wingate
- James Kotcamp won 15 of 28 face-offs and recorded eight ground balls
- Joe Karnich added four ground balls
- Peyton Farley forced three turnovers
- John Caponi made eight saves in just over 40 minutes of action
 
NOTES
 
- The 'Dogs made their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in the last five years
- Wingate won five games against ranked opponents this season, three of which were ranked in the top 10
- WU won an NCAA Tournament game for the second consecutive year
- Grieco set school and SAC single-season records with 114 points and 68 assists this season
- Padden became the program's all-time leader in goals and points
- Five 'Dogs earned All-America honors; Grieco was the SAC Offensive Player of the Year
 
FIRST PERIOD
 
- The Saints scored the first two goals of the game
- Vodovnik got the 'Dogs on the board at the 10:11 mark
- Limestone's Grant Rodgers responded with a score two minutes later
- Cottage Jr. answered with his first goal of the afternoon
- LU scored two more goals to take a 5-2 lead with two and a half minutes left
- Riley fired in his 44th goal of the season to cut into the deficit
- The Saints added one more score before the end of the period, leading 6-3 after 15 minutes
 
SECOND PERIOD
 
- LU's Carter Brand added to the Saints' lead 90 seconds into the second period
- Padden answered with his 48th score on the year
- Limestone scored back-to-back to take a 9-4 lead
- The game experienced a nearly two-hour lightning deal midway through the second period
- Mike McGary added Limestone's third unanswered goal following the delay
- Lingasin found the back of the net for the final score of the first half, as Wingate trailed 10-5
 
THIRD PERIOD
 
- Cottage Jr. scored 15 seconds into the second half
- He scored again two minutes later as WU cut the deficit to 10-7
- The Saints responded with back-to-back scores of their own to regain a five-score advantage
- Natoli scored at the 5:59 mark to stop the run
- LU scored three consecutive goals to end the period, leading 15-8 with 15 minutes to go
 
FOURTH PERIOD
 
- Wingate scored the first four goals of the final period
- Lingasin capitalized on a man-up opportunity three and a half minutes in
- Grieco and DiLegge scores were separated by just 10 seconds
- McMahon scored off a Grieco assist as the Bulldogs got within three goals
- Jason Thomforde stopped the run for Limestone at the 4:47 mark
- Padden and Grieco answered within a minute of each other, as the 'Dogs got within two for the first time since the first period at 16-14
- Limestone iced the game with one final score from Rodgers