Box Score WINGATE, N.C. -- The Wingate Bulldogs (4-5, 2-1 SAC) started fast and closed strong to hand the Railsplitters (3-3, 0-3 SAC) an 18-10 loss in South Atlantic Conference men's lacrosse action on Saturday afternoon in Wingate, N.C.
 
Lincoln Memorial fell behind 7-1 early in the second quarter, but fought back and nearly tied the game in the opening minutes of the second half. But the Bulldogs closed on a 9-2 run to deny the Railsplitters of their first-ever South Atlantic Conference victory, dropping Lincoln Memorial to 0-11 all-time in league play in the process.
 
Seven different players scored a goal in the match for the Railsplitters. Dylan Neisler (Detroit, Mich.) and Kyle Arcuri (Patchogue, N.Y.) had two goals and an assist apiece to lead the way, while Adam Golia (Victoria, British Columbia) added two goals on four shot attempts. Billy Kopsky (Smithtown, N.Y.) had a goal and an assist.
 
Goalkeeper Joe Medel (Virginia Beach, Va.) fell to 3-3 on the season after allowing 16 goals with seven saves in a hair over 53 minutes of action. He was relieved by Colin Parrington (Middletown, N.Y.) for the final seven minutes of regulation, as Parrington made one save with two goals allowed over that span.
 
The Bulldogs couldn't have asked for a better start, as Wingate scored four goals before three minutes had even elapsed in the first quarter. Daniel Godwin scored 49 seconds into the match before finding the back of the net again less than a minute later. Robert Godwin then scored just eight seconds after the second Wingate goal to make it 3-0 in favor of the Bulldogs. Drew Thompson capped that 4-0 start for the Bulldogs with a goal at the 12:14 mark.
 
The Railsplitters finally halted the Wingate run and checked into the scoring column on an unassisted goal by Neisler at the seven-minute mark of the first quarter, but Austin Murphy would score at the tail end of the opening period and again early in the second quarter to pace a 3-0 Bulldog run that buried Lincoln Memorial in a 7-1 hole with 10 minutes left in the half.
 
The Railsplitters would swing the momentum over that final 10-minute stretch, though, as Golia, Neisler and Ryan Young (Mukwonago, Wis.) powered a 3-0 run that closed the gap to 7-4 at the 5:18 mark of the second quarter. The Bulldogs briefly extended their lead back to four goals after Alex Llerandi and Conor Gronbach scored back-to-back goals, but Lincoln Memorial tallied three times in the final minute to cut its halftime deficit to 9-7. Justin Stewart (Copiague, N.Y.) scored at the 54-second mark, while Kairos Bodley (Orlando, Fla.) scored with 39 seconds left and Golia scored as time expired to fuel that spurt.
 
Coming out of the break, the Railsplitters quickly scored again, pulling to within one at 9-8 on a man-up goal from Arcuri at 13:47. However, Wingate closed the third quarter with three unanswered goals and continued to pull away in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
 
Murphy put the Bulldogs back in front by two at 10-8 with a goal at the 9:15 mark of the third, while Daniel Godwin and Seth Grimwood scored at 5:15 and 3:21, respectively, to send Wingate into the fourth quarter with a 12-8 cushion.
 
Wingate and Lincoln Memorial traded goals early in the fourth quarter, but Wingate closed the match on a 5-1 flurry to complete the 18-10 victory.
 
The Railsplitters lost despite going 21-for-31 on face-offs and accounting for a 44-38 edge in ground-ball recoveries. Lincoln Memorial also went 11-for-14 on clearances, but did little to stop Wingate in that department, as the Bulldogs went 17-for-23 on clears. The Railsplitters went 1-for-6 on man-up opportunities, but held Wingate to a 1-for-3 effort in that area.
 
Daniel Godwin led the Bulldogs with four goals and an assist, while Murphy had three goals and three assists. Ryan Ormerod and Llerandi had two goals apiece, while Ormerod added an assist.
 
Michael Connor and Will Sheridan split time in net for the Bulldogs. Connor played the first 30 minutes, recording four saves and allowing seven goals. Sheridan made five saves and allowed three goals over the match's final 30 minutes.
 
The Railsplitters return to action on Thursday, March 24 when they trek to Lakewood, N.J. to face Georgian Court at 4 p.m.