Gaffney, S.C.----The fifth-seeded and 10th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs got a Sam Goss goal with just over a minute left in overtime Wednesday night, knocking off top-seeded and second-ranked Limestone University 17-16 in the semifinals of the South Atlantic Conference men's lacrosse tournament. Wingate improves to 13-4 overall, advancing to Saturday's championship game against Anderson in Matthews, N.C. The Saints 15-2 on the season.

KEY STATS

- Wingate out-shot Limestone 58-41
- The Saints held a 27-26 advantage in shots on goal
- Each team won 18 face-offs
- Limestone held a 38-29 advantage in ground balls
- The Saints were 21-for-22 on clear attempts; the Bulldogs were 17-for-21
- Each team turned it over 13 times

KEY BULLDOGS

- Kyle Spence had two goals and three assists
- Vinny Butrico and Joey Moran poured in four goals apiece
- Goss had three goals and an assist
- Jaxon Grant contributed a pair of goals
- Matt Papach added a goal
- Dylan Rupprecht won 13 face-offs, picking up six ground balls and scoring a goal
- Sean Clark handed out an assist
- Peyton Farley had two caused turnovers and four ground balls
- Sam Deardorff and Graham Tillett added two CTs apiece
- Quad Williams notched 11 saves on the night

FIRST PERIOD

- Moran started the scoring 24 seconds in
- Limestone answered with seven straight goals, taking a 7-1 lead on a Zach Terry goal with 1:12 to go
- Grant scored with five seconds left in the frame to cut the lead to five

SECOND PERIOD

- Wingate scored the first six goals of the second to take the lead, starting with a  Spence goal 55 seconds in
- Goss scored off a Clark assist at the 11:52 mark
- Rupprecht won the ensuing face-off and scored eight seconds later to make it 7-5
- Grant and Papach added goals to tie it at seven with 6:57 to go
- Butrico's goal with 5:08 remaining put the 'Dogs on top 8-7
- Carter Korzenski stopped the run with a goal for the Saints at the 2:37 mark
- Butrico answered with a goal off a Spence assist a minute later to give WU a 9-8 lead

THIRD PERIOD

- Korzenski scored three minutes into the half to tie it at nine
- Butrico put the Bulldogs back on top, scoring off a Spence assist at the 10:55 mark
- A Michael McGarry goal a minute later tied it at 10
- Goss scored 50 seconds later to put Wingate back on top
- Moran's goal with 6:32 to go made it 12-10
- Blake Maracle and Dylan Cox scored in a six-second span, tying it at 12 with five minutes left

FOURTH PERIOD

- Korzenski scored two minutes into the final frame to give Limestone a 13-12 advantage
- Butrico scored off a Goss assist a minute later to tie it at 13
- Moran scored off a Spence assist at the 10:15 mark to put the 'Dogs on top 14-13
- Mason Carfello tied it at 14 less than a minute later
- Moran's goal with 7:49 to go put Wingate back on top
- Spence scored with five minutes remaining, making it 16-14
- The Saints scored twice in the final 42 seconds, tying it at 16 on a Grant Rodgers goal with seven seconds to go

OVERTIME

- Wingate had the ball first, but Clark's potential game-winner was saved with 3:06 left
- Limestone had a chance on the other end, but Terry's shot hit the post a minute later
- Moran and Spence had chances on the ensuing possession, but their shots were off target
- Goss scored the winner with 1:08 left in overtime, sending the Bulldogs to the title game

UP NEXT

- Wingate will face Anderson Saturday at 4 p.m. in the championship game
- The contest will take place at the Matthews SportsPlex in Matthews, N.C.