Mars Hill, N.C.----The 11th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs opened league play in style, scoring the first 15 goals of the game en route to a dominant 21-3 victory at Mars Hill University in South Atlantic Conference women's lacrosse action. Wingate improves to 2-0 overall and 1-0 in the SAC, while the Lions fall to 0-3 overall and 0-1 in league play. The 'Dogs have now won 15 straight games dating back to last season.

KEY STATS

- Wingate out-shot Mars Hill 27-4
- The Bulldogs held a 26-3 advantage in shots on goal
- The Lions had 22 turnovers compared to Wingate's 12
- The 'Dogs won 18 of the 26 draw controls
- Wingate was 17-for-17 on clears; Mars Hill went just six-for-16
- The Bulldogs picked up 20 of the 30 ground balls
- WU hits the 20-goal mark for the first time this season after scoring 20 or more eight times in 2023

KEY BULLDOGS

- Nicolette Diedrich had four goals, three assists and two ground balls to lead the offense
- Megan Millard collected four goals, three draw controls, a CT and a ground ball
- Kaleigh Wilgeroth added three goals, an assist, a draw control, three ground balls and a CT
- Julia Garvin registered two goals, two assists and two ground balls
- Meghan Higgins and Danielle Scarfogliero each collected a goal and three assists
- Claire Fuchs had a goal, two assists and five draw controls
- Leah Knowles contributed two goals and six draw controls
- Kayleigh Hiles had a goal, an assist and a ground ball
- Amelia Benner and Blake Clouser added a goal apiece
- Sam DiLegge and Chloe Herring each had a caused turnover and ground ball

FIRST QUARTER

- Wingate scored all 10 goals of the opening frame
- Diedrich scored 30 seconds in off a Fuchs assist
- Wilgeroth's first goal came a minute later off a Garvin assist
- Millard's goal 27 seconds later made it 3-0
- Wilgeroth struck again at the 9:51 mark to push the lead to four
- Diedrich scored her second goal of the day off a Scarfogliero assist to make it 5-0
- Fuchs struck at the 7:58 mark off a Diedrich assist
- Diedrich's third goal of the quarter came off a Wilgeroth assist with six minutes to go
- Knowles found the back of the net at the 5:52 mark to put the 'Dogs on top 8-0
- Millard's goal 38 seconds later pushed the lead to nine
- Garvin's goal in the final minute of the frame made it 10-0

SECOND QUARTER

- Knowles scored 87 seconds into the second quarter off a Scarfogliero assist
- Millard scored off Diedrich's assist with 11:29 to go
- Wilgeroth's goal off a Scarfogliero assist pushed the lead to 13 with 10 minutes left
- Hiles scored off a Higgins assist at the 7:26 mark to make it 14-0
- The final goal of Wingate's 15-0 run came from Garvin off another Higgins assist with 4:49 left
- Samantha Newton got the Lions on the board at the 2:54 mark

THIRD QUARTER

- Haley Stallings scored in the opening minute of the second half to make it 15-2
- Higgins answered at the 5:52 mark to push the lead back to 14
- Diedrich's fourth goal of the day came off a Hiles assist with 24 seconds left, making it 17-2

FOURTH QUARTER

- Stallings scored at the 9:21 mark to cut the lead to 14
- Benner scored off a Fuchs assist two minutes later to make it 18-3
- Millard scored off another Diedrich assist with 6:28 remaining
- Scarfogliero scored Wingate's 20th goal of the day off a Garvin assist
- Clouser capped the scoring at the 1:39 mark off a Higgins assist, making it 21-3

UP NEXT

- Wingate returns home this weekend, playing two key games in a three-day stretch
- The Bulldogs host #15 Embry-Riddle Saturday at 12 p.m.
- The 'Dogs host Florida Tech Monday at noon