GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Newberry College defeated Tusculum University 20-6 in South Atlantic Conference men's lacrosse Saturday afternoon at Pioneer Field.
A total of 13 different players scored goals for the 19th-ranked Wolves (4-2, 1-0 SAC), led by Gage Vigar with two goals and six assists along with Ace Nichols with two goals and four assists. The Wolves outshot the Pioneers 52-30 and scored six man-up goals in 13 opportunities.
Luke Bowen had a goal and an assist for the Pioneers (3-4, 0-2 SAC) with one goal apiece from Preston Stewart, Tysen Fontenla, Clay Mendez, Ben Hobday and Aiden Paczek. The Pioneers were charged with 24 turnovers and were 22-for-31 on clears, while being beaten 17-11 on faceoffs by the Wolves.
Newberry went up 7-0 after 11 1/2 minutes before the Pioneers got on the board on a goal from Bowen with 1:28 left in the first quarter. The Wolves would tack on two goals in the final 45 seconds to take a 9-1 lead after the first period.
Tusculum scored twice in just over a minute in the second quarter on goals from Stewart and Paczek, but Newberry collected three man-up goals in the final 4 1/2 minutes to take a 15-3 lead to halftime.
In the third quarter, Fontenla opened the scoring for the Pioneers but the Wolves responded with three goals in just under two minutes. Newberry led 19-4 after three quarters, but Tusculum kept the Wolves off the board for the final 10 1/2 minutes and added goals from Mendez and Hobday in the final four minutes of play.
Ezequel Ceant had 11 faceoff wins and six ground balls for the Pioneers, while Blake Harrison had eight ground balls and three caused turnovers. Derek Caiazzo had five ground balls to lead the Wolves, with Zack Ouassil going 8-for-11 on faceoffs.
Brenden Pecora finished with 17 saves for the Pioneers, including 10 stops in the second half. For Newberry, Nolan Downey had 10 saves in the first three quarters and Tyler LeBlanc had four saves in the final period.
The Pioneers are on the road Saturday, March 15 with a visit to sixth-ranked Wingate. The Bulldogs (5-1, 1-1 SAC) defeated Mars Hill 23-7 on Saturday.
