CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte women's lacrosse team took on the Wingate University Bulldogs in a first-place showdown in the South Atlantic Conference this evening at Dickson Field. After collecting a 17-7 win, the eighth-ranked Royals secured their fourth straight South Atlantic Conference Regular Season Champion title. Queens now sits undefeated in league play at 7-0 and 13-3 on the year. The Bulldogs fall to 11-4 overall and 5-2 in conference play.
 
Six Royals scored to help Queens pick up today's victory. Both Kelly Dowd and Alexandra Bruder recorded five goals each, while Hanna Scott added four goals. Abigail Paulus, Shannon Mansberger, and Sarah Bell each scored one goal. Ally Blood led with two assists and five draw controls, while Bruder totaled five caused turnovers.
 
Wingate ran about four minutes off the clock in the first half before Shannon O'Neal put the Bulldogs on the board on a free-position-shot. Queens would answer with a goal from Dowd to tie up the score with 24:19 on the clock. O'Neal then record her second of the game shortly after, but Bruder added another for the Royals and Scott followed with three consecutive goals to put the home team in the lead, 5-2, at 13:10.
 
Bruder would record another three goals in the minutes to follow, with Scott putting another in the back of the net to extend the Royals' lead to 9-2 at just under the 10-minute mark. The Royals' scoring frenzy continued as Dowd added another three goals and Paulus netted one to make the score 13-2 heading into halftime.
 
The second half saw less action on the offensive end for the Royals as the Bulldogs were able to close the margin to eight, 15-7, with 7:50 left in regulation. However, goals from Mansberger and Sarah Bell in the final three minutes of play would extend Queens' lead back out to 10, 17-7, before the final horn sounded.
 
Queens outshot the Bulldogs 37-15, putting 29 shots on goal. The Royals also totaled 24 ground balls to Wingate's 15 and won 17 draw controls. Goalkeeper Chase Brokaw walked away with the win in goal after registering six saves.
 
Shannon O'Neal led the Bulldogs with four goals, while Paulena Dempsey scored two and Brittany Andrews chipped in with one. Arion Pierre recorded 12 saves in the cage.
 
The Royals will wrap the regular season at Newberry College on Saturday at 3 p.m. They will return home for the semifinal round of the SAC Women's Lacrosse Championships on Friday, April 28.