Wingate, N.C.----For the second straight year, the Wingate University Bulldogs are regular season SAC champions. The 19th-ranked Bulldogs took down #11 Limestone University 12-8 Saturday afternoon in South Atlantic Conference women's lacrosse action, improving to 12-4 overall and 9-1 in the SAC. The Saints fall to 14-1 overall and 8-1 in league play. The 'Dogs claim the second regular season championship in program history, while also knocking off the highest ranked team in program history.

KEY STATS

- Wingate out-shot Limestone 29-24
- The Bulldogs held a 21-12 advantage in shots on goal
- The 'Dogs won 13 of 24 draw controls
- Wingate held a 25-18 advantage in ground balls
- The Bulldogs were 16-for-16 on clears; the Saints went 14-for-25
- Limestone had 25 turnovers compared to Wingate's 18; the 'Dogs had 21 caused turnovers
- Wingate held the Saints to a season-low eight goals
- Limestone entered the game averaging over 16 goals per contest

KEY BULLDOGS

- Nelida Watson had three goals and an assist
- Claire Fuchs added a goal, three assists, four draw controls, a CT and two ground balls
- Kaleigh Wilgeroth scored three goals
- Leah Knowles had two goals, an assist, eight draw controls, six CTs and three ground balls
- Danielle Scarfogliero netted three goals
- Megan Magill, Julia Garvin, Avery Scherer and Katie Koroly each added an assist
- Chloe Herring had three CTs and a ground ball
- Garvin and Koroly added two CTs apiece
- Krysta Churns contributed two CTs and three ground balls
- Megan Biase had four saves and four ground balls

FIRST QUARTER

- Keira Martin scored at the 12:22 mark to give Limestone a 1-0 lead
- Fuchs scored off a Magill assist with 9:46 to go, tying it at one

SECOND QUARTER

- The Bulldogs outscored the Saints 6-2 in the second frame
- Limestone took a 2-1 lead in the opening minute on a Reese Hjertaas goal
- Wingate scored three times in the next three minutes
- Knowles started the flurry off a Koroly assist to tie it at two
- Watson scored off a Scherer assist to put the 'Dogs on top 3-2
- Watson's goal at the 10:09 mark gave the Bulldogs a two-goal lead
- Wilgeroth scored with 7:45 remaining to make it 5-2
- Leah Rycroft cut the lead to two at the 5:17 mark
- Scarfogliero struck twice in a 45-second span, getting assists from Watson and Fuchs to make it 7-3

THIRD QUARTER

- Martin scored at the 11:22 mark to pull Limestone within three
- Watson answered with a goal off a Knowles assist to make it 8-4
- Goals from Joscelin Martin and Cassie Peat pulled the Saints within two with 15 seconds left

FOURTH QUARTER

- Scarfogliero scored 80 seconds into the final frame off a Fuchs assist to make it 9-6
- Knowles scored off a Fuchs assist to get the 'Dogs in double figures
- Wilgeroth scored off a Garvin assist at the 7:26 mark, giving Wingate an 11-6 lead
- A Hjertaas goal cut the lead to four with 3:37 remaining
- Wilgeroth pushed the lead back to five a minute later

UP NEXT

- With the regular season wrapped up for Wingate, the 'Dogs turn their attention to the SAC Tourney
- Anderson and Limestone wrap up their seasons on Wednesday, facing Newberry and Mars Hill
- The Bulldogs hold the tiebreaker over the Saints and would win the tiebreaker in a three-way tie
- The 'Dogs will get a bye in the opening round of the SAC Tournament
- Wingate will host a semifinal contest Wednesday, April 24
- The field will be announced after the games this Wednesday
- The SAC championship game will be held Sunday, April 28 at the Matthews Sportsplex