WINGATE, N.C. --- A ten-goal outburst in the opening quarter propelled 12th-ranked Wingate University to a 21-5 victory over Tusculum University in South Atlantic Conference women's lacrosse action Saturday afternoon.
Leah Knowles led the Bulldogs (4-1, 1-0 SAC) with four goals and an assist and Bella Pellet added three goals and an assist as Wingate raced to a 10-0 lead after one quarter against the Pioneers (2-3, 0-1 SAC). Becca Ruiz had three goals for Wingate, while eight other players also had goals in the victory for the Bulldogs.
Tia Daniel and Lucy Brewer had two goals and an assist apiece for the Pioneers, who also received a goal from Kamryn McNeil. Wingate outshot Tusculum 34-13 and had a 22-7 advantage in draw controls in the match.
Wingate scored six goals in the first 5 1/2 minutes and carried the momentum to a 10-0 lead after one quarter as Knowles and Paige Kamer each scored twice in the opening period. Tusculum broke through on a goal from Brewer with 12:20 left in the second quarter, and McNeil tallied with 7:25 remaining in the half, but Wingate led 14-2 at intermission.
Tusculum outscored Wingate 3-2 in the third quarter, with a goal from Brewer and two from Daniel in the quarter as Wingate led 16-5 after three quarters. The Bulldogs would close out the game with five straight goals in the final period.
McNeil led the Pioneers with four ground balls while Chloe Michalski and Celeste Raya each had a pair of caused turnovers. Brewer paced the Pioneers with five draw controls in the match. Knowles collected 11 draw controls to lead the Bulldogs, with Emily Phipps and Katie Koroly each earning three of the Bulldogs' 14 caused turnovers.
Kari Ham played the first three quarters in goal for the Pioneers and had seven saves, with Emily White collecting two saves in the fourth quarter. Megan Biase had five saves in the first half for Wingate with Riley Boone making two saves in the second half.
Tusculum will travel to Coker to face the Cobras on Sunday, March 12 at 1 p.m. The Cobras fell to 1-3 overall and 0-1 in the SAC with a 19-6 loss at Anderson on Saturday.
