Wingate, N.C.----The third-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs raced out to a 5-0 lead Saturday afternoon, but #13 Florida Southern rallied back to prevail 8-7 in NCAA Division II men's lacrosse action at Irwin Belk Stadium. The Mocs start the season 0-1 while the Bulldogs fall to 0-1.

KEY STATS

- FSC out-shot Wingate 43-34, with a 26-22 edge in shots on goal
- Florida Southern had 24 turnovers compared to Wingate's 21
- The 'Dogs were 24-for-29 on clear attempts; the Mocs were 22-for-28
- FSC won 12-of-18 face-offs; the Bulldogs held a 39-38 lead in ground balls
- The Mocs went three-for-eight on man-up chances; the Bulldogs were one-for-five

KEY BULLDOGS

- Willie Grieco had a goal and three assists for the Bulldogs
- Danny Riley added three goals, four caused turnovers and four ground balls
- Peyton Farley had a goal, an assist, two CTs and a ground ball
- Johnny Salamone had a goal while piling up five CTs, adding five ground balls
- Matt Papach contributed a goal, CT and ground ball
- Kyle Spence registered an assist and a ground ball
- Thomas Sullivan piled up 18 saves, adding four ground balls
- John Natoli added four ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers
- Trent Connolly and CJ Dorr each collected three ground balls and a CT

FIRST PERIOD

- The Bulldogs scored all five goals in the opening frame
- Farley started the scoring three minutes in
- Papach scored off a Grieco assist at the 10:50 mark
- Salamone scored off Farley's assist 42 seconds later to make it 3-0
- Riley scored off Grieco's assist with 7:16 to go to push the lead to four
- Riley scored off a Spence assist at the 4:58 mark to put the 'Dogs on top 5-0

SECOND PERIOD

- FSC scored all three goals in the second frame to cut the lead to two
- Goals from Jacob Czyz and Brendan Glasser made it 5-2 less than a minute in
- Brydon Robichaud scored with 4:26 to go to make it 5-3

THIRD PERIOD

- Riley scored off Grieco's assist two minutes into the half to push the WU lead back to three
- Matt Flammenspeck answered with a goal at the 8:50 mark to make it 6-4
- Grant Ansted's goal two minutes later cut the lead to one

FOURTH PERIOD

- Glasser's goal in the opening minute of the fourth tied it at six
- The 'Dogs regained the lead at the 8:18 mark with a Grieco goal
- Flammenspeck tied it at seven with 3:57 remaining
- Maddux Walton found the back of the net 38 seconds later to put the Mocs on top 8-7

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Saturday, hosting #7 Mercyhurst at 12 p.m.