Matthews, N.C.----The fifth-seeded and 10th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs capped their incredible run through the SAC Tournament with a 17-11 victory over second-seeded and seventh-ranked Anderson University in the championship game of the South Atlantic Conference men's lacrosse tournament Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs win the fourth SAC Tourney title in program history, improving to 14-4 overall and punching their ticket to the NCAA Tournament. The Trojans fall to 13-4 on the year. Wingate defeated #13 Newberry, #2 Limestone and #7 Anderson to claim the tourney championship.

KEY STATS

- Wingate out-shot Anderson 52-46, with a 30-23 edge in shots on goal
- The Trojans won 17 of 30 face-offs, with a 48-35 advantage in ground balls
- Anderson had 21 turnovers compared to Wingate's 18
- The 'Dogs were 28-for-29 on clear attempts; the Trojan went 21-for-22

KEY BULLDOGS

- Kyle Spence handed out seven assists, adding four ground balls
- Sean Clark poured in five goals
- Sam Goss added four goals and three ground balls
- Joey Moran scored three goals and caused a pair of turnovers
- Vinny Butrico contributed a pair of goals
- Matt Papach notched a goal and an assist
- Jaxon Grant and Jack Murray collected a goal apiece
- Zach Samson handed out an assist
- Dylan Rupprecht won 10-of-19 face-offs, picking up four ground balls
- Peyton Farley had three CTs and two ground balls
- Mason McGivern added three CTs on the day
- Quad Williams piled up 12 saves and six ground balls, adding an assist
- Spence was named the SAC Tourney MVP
- Williams, Moran, Goss and Farley also earned All-Tournament honors

FIRST PERIOD

- Diego Lopez got Anderson on the board four minutes in
- Goss scored off a Samson assist to tie it
- Murray's goal at the 6:03 mark gave Wingate the lead
- Moran scored two minutes later off a Spence assist to make it 3-1
- Butrico's goal with 1:49 to go put the 'Dogs on top 4-1

SECOND PERIOD

- Radyn Badraun scored three minutes in to cut the lead to two
- Grant answered at the 11:21 mark to make it 5-2
- Goss scored off a Spence assist a minute later to stretch the lead to four
- Clark's goal off another Spence assist 24 seconds later gave WU a 7-2 advantage
- Badraun cut the lead to four with a goal at the 8:51 mark
- Clark scored 40 seconds later to extend it back to five
- AU scored the next three, making it 8-6 with 4:15 left on a Matthew Rodgers goal
- Goss answered off a Williams assist 20 seconds later
- Clark's goal off a Spence assist at the 2:15 mark made it 10-6
- Bushnoe scored in the final minute, cutting the halftime lead to three

THIRD PERIOD

- Clark scored 93 seconds into the half to make it 11-7
- Cole Sparks pulled the Trojans back within three at the 8:42 mark
- Butrico answered a minute later to put the lead back at four
- Moran's goal off a Spence assist with 5:17 to go made it 13-8
- Moran struck again off a Spence assist at the 3:40 mark to give Wingate a six-goal lead
- Badraun scored with three minutes left, making it 14-9 heading to the fourth

FOURTH PERIOD

- Clark scored a minute into the final frame off Spence's assist
- Goss scored off a Papach assist with 4:50 to go, making it 16-9
- Papach's goal a minute later put the 'Dogs on top by eight

UP NEXT

- Wingate will learn its postseason future Sunday night
- The NCAA Division II bracket will be released live on NCAA.com at 7:30 p.m.