Charlotte, N.C.----The third-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne University Bears picked up a hard-fought 9-6 victory over fifth-ranked Wingate University at the Crown Classic in South Atlantic Conference men's lacrosse action Saturday night in Charlotte. The Bears improve to 5-0 overall and 1-0 in the SAC, while the Bulldogs fall to 4-1 overall and 0-1 in league play.

KEY STATS

- LR out-shot Wingate 40-30
- The Bears held a 27-15 advantage in shots on goal
- Lenoir-Rhyne won 12 of the 18 face-offs
- The Bulldogs had 18 turnovers compared to LR's 12
- The Bears went 21-for-23 on clear attempts; the 'Dogs were 25-for-28
- Lenoir-Rhyne held a 32-18 advantage in ground balls
- LR scored on three-of-four man-up opportunities; Wingate was zero-for-two

KEY BULLDOGS

- Quad Williams piled up 18 saves on the day
- Kyle Spence had a goal and an assist
- Vinny Butrico, Matt Papach, Joey Moran, Sam Goss and Zach Samson each added a goal
- Sam Deardorff had two caused turnovers and two ground balls
- Graham Tillett and CJ Dorr each added a CT and four ground balls
- Peyton Farley contributed a CT and three ground balls

FIRST PERIOD

- Donovan Powell started the scoring for LR one minute in
- Butrico answered at the 12:30 mark to tie it at one
- Powell and Morgan Madish scored to give the Bears a 3-1 lead with five minutes left

SECOND PERIOD

-  Samson scored three minutes in to cut the lead to one
- Powell scored twice in a 90-second span to give LR a 5-2 advantage
- Goss scored off a Spence assist at the 8:33 mark to cut the lead to two
- Spence scored with 3:47 remaining to make it 5-4

THIRD PERIOD

- Powell and Robert Walker scored in the first 90 seconds to give the Bears a 7-4 lead
- Papach's goal with 10 minutes left pulled the 'Dogs back within two
- Moran scored less than two minutes later, making it a one-goal game
- Madish scored at the 3:49 mark to push the LR lead back to two

FOURTH PERIOD

- Powell scored the lone goal of the period at the 13:28 mark, making it 9-6

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Saturday, hosting Mars Hill at 3 p.m.