Wingate, N.C.----The fourth-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs took down their fourth top-11 conference opponent Wednesday night, holding #10 Catawba to a season-low six goals in a 14-6 victory on the final day of the South Atlantic Conference men's lacrosse regular season at Irwin Belk Stadium and Founders Field. The 'Dogs finish the season 12-2 overall and 9-0 in the SAC, while the Indians fall to 11-3 overall and 6-3 in league play.

KEY STATS

- Wingate out-shot Catawba 48-38
- The 'Dogs held a 29-21 advantage in shots on goal
- The Bulldogs won 16 of the 23 face-offs
- Wingate held a 41-26 advantage in ground balls
- The 'Dogs were 20-for-23 on clears; the Indians went 18-for-26
- The Bulldogs had 16 turnovers compared to Catawba's 15

KEY BULLDOGS

- Kyle Spence had a goal and six assists
- Joey Moran added four goals, an assist, three caused turnovers and four ground balls
- Brayden Cifreo scored three goals, adding an assist
- Jack Murray had two goals and an assist
- Jaxon Grant contributed a goal, an assist and a CT
- Sean Clark scored a pair of goals
- Matt Benzing also scored a goal
- Vinny Butrico handed out an assist
- Necco Cottage won 16-of-20 face-offs, piling up 10 ground balls
- Sam Deardorff had three CTs and a ground ball
- Reno Vorderlandwehr had two CTs and three ground balls
- Quad Williams piled up 15 saves, adding a CT and four ground balls

FIRST PERIOD

- Clark got the scoring started three minutes in off a Spence assist
- Murray's goal at the 8:41 mark off Cifreo's assist made it 2-0
- Micah Stechmiller got Catawba on the board a minute later
- Benzing's goal at the 4:17 mark off Murray's assist pushed the lead back to two

SECOND PERIOD

- Moran scored 57 seconds into the second frame to put the 'Dogs on top 4-1
- Stechmiller pulled Catawba back within two with a goal at the 10:38 mark
- Moran scored off Grant's assist with 8:55 to go
- Tanner Stout made it a two-goal game at the 4:33 mark
- Kier McKnight scored in the final second, making it 5-4 at halftime

THIRD PERIOD

- Grant scored off a Spence assist in the opening minute
- Michael Lindsey pulled the Indians back within one with a goal at the 10:33 mark
- Cifreo scored two minutes later off a Spence assist to make it 7-5
- Stechmiller scored with 2:58 remaining to cut the lead back to one
- The 'Dogs would score the game's final seven goals
- Spence's goal with 1:04 left gave Wingate an 8-6 leading heading to the fourth

FOURTH PERIOD

- Clark scored off a Butrico assist two minutes into the final frame
- Cifreo scored off a Spence assist two minutes later, making it 10-6
- Moran scored 47 seconds later to give the 'Dogs a five-goal cushion
- Cifreo scored again to make it 12-6 with 7:29 left
- Moran scored off another Spence assist to push the lead to seven with 2:29 remaining
- Murray scored off Moran's assist a minute later, making the final margin 14-6

UP NEXT

- Wingate is the number one seed in the SAC Tournament
- The Bulldogs will host a semifinal game next Wednesday, April 29 at Irwin Belk Stadium
- The 'Dogs will host the winner of the Catawba vs. Anderson contest, which will be Saturday
- The semifinal winner will advance to the SAC title game Saturday, May 2 at the Matthews SportsPlex
- The Bulldogs won the SAC Tourney title in 2025