Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2015 on Wednesday afternoon, defeating UNC Pembroke 3-0 in NCAA Division II women's soccer action at Pride Park. The Bulldogs improve to 3-0, while the Braves drop to 1-1 on the season.

KEY STATS

- Each team attempted 14 shots
- Wingate held a 9-4 advantage in shots on goal
- Each team attempted three corner kicks
- The Bulldogs took the lone yellow card of the match

KEY BULLDOGS

- Alicia Rubio Garcia led the 'Dogs offensively with two goals
- Brianna Ditillo assisted on each of the Rubio goals
- Sophie Husted scored the opening goal of the match
- Caroline Peters tallied an assist on the Husted goal
- Katrine Thisgaard held the Braves out of the net in her 86 minutes of action, tallying two saves

NOTES

- Wingate's first 3-0 start since 2015, when the Bulldogs won their first 11 matches en route to an NCAA Tournament appearance
- The win avenges WU's 1-0 loss at UNC Pembroke a season ago, their only loss in non-conference play
- Rubio Garcia's third career multi-goal outing
- Peters has assisted in each of Wingate's three matches so far this season
- Ditillo's first career match with multiple assists
- The senior has recorded more assists in three games this season – three -- than in her three previous seasons combined – two

FIRST HALF

- Peters' through ball found Husted for the Bulldogs' first score of the afternoon in the 25th minute
- The Braves forced a penalty in the box just five minutes later
- Ashleigh Harris' attempt was saved by Thisgaard to keep the 'Dogs in front
- Rubio Garcia scored off a Ditillo assist in the 32nd minute to give Wingate a two-goal advantage
- Jess LaFrancis' late-half shot was saved by the UNCP keeper, as the 'Dogs entered the halftime locker room with a 2-0 lead

SECOND HALF

- Rubio Garcia placed a shot in the upper right hand corner for her second goal of the afternoon in the 59th minute off another Ditillo assist
- The 'Dogs dominated possession for most of the second half, not allowing a UNCP shot over a 25-minute span
- Kathryn Bourgeois made her first career appearance in the net, making a save to close out the win

UP NEXT

- Wingate enters the heart of its five-game homestand with a match against Barton on Saturday at 5 p.m.
- The Bulldogs' stay at Pride Park concludes next week with matches vs Anderson and Emory & Henry on Sept. 2 and 5, respectively