WINGATE, N.C. – The sixth-seeded UIndy men's lacrosse team (12-3) avenged itself on Wednesday with an 11-10 win at third-seeded Wingate (12-3) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Greyhounds advance to the South Region quarterfinals with a 1 p.m. contest against second-seeded Limestone on Sunday in Gaffney, S.C.
Triston Schaffer led the Hounds with four goals, while UIndy netminder – and transfer from Wingate –
KC Carlson made 10 saves between the pipes.
INS & OUTS
Wyatt Auyer and
Jake Allen stretched the Greyhound lead to 11-7 with under nine minutes left, seemingly putting the game on ice. The host Bulldogs had other plans, however, scoring three times in 68 seconds to sneak back within one.
Wingate successfully cleared the ball with less than 20 seconds remaining on the clock, but UIndy refused to allow an opposing shot to reach Carlson to secure the victory.
The Hounds nipped an earlier three-goal Wingate run in the bud between the middle quarters, with
Owain Braddock sandwiching a tough score from
Ben Foster early in the fourth frame.
UIndy led by as many as three on a pair of occasions, including a 6-3 advantage when Auyer joined Schaffer and
Kyle Basch in the scoring column early in the second quarter.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Schaffer netted each of his four goals in the first 18+ minutes of the contest.
- Six of Carlson's 10 saves came in the second half, including four in the third quarter.
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Drew Billig dished out a pair of assists on Wednesday, while scooping up one ground ball.
- UIndy forced 10 of Wingate's 17 turnovers, with defensive guru
Josh Jackson adding four causes to his eight ground balls.
- Basch was no slouch in the midfield, scooping up five loose balls and recording two caused turnovers.
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Caleb Parker won the advantage at the faceoff x, securing 13 wins against the Wingate combo of James Kotcamp and Dylan Ruppecht.
MORE NOTES
UIndy joins Saint Anselm as the other No. 6 seed to win on Wednesday … the victory marks the first in the NCAA tournament for the Hounds since May 11, 2019 … UIndy is now 3-3 across four NCAA postseasons ... it is the second straight season the South's No. 6 seed won in the opening round ... Wingate survived UIndy in 2021 with a 10-9 victory in a national quarterfinal in Hickory, N.C.
HOUND BYTES
UP NEXT
Limestone leads the all-time series with UIndy, 4-1. Sunday marks the second time the Greyhounds and Saints will square off in an NCAA tournament game. Limestone ended the Hounds' run back in 2019 with a 16-7 victory on its home turf.
