Wingate Wins 2015 South Atlantic Conference Men's Soccer Tournament Title

UPDATED BRACKET

Rock Hill, S.C.----The second-seeded and 23rd-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs got an early goal and a late goal Sunday afternoon, defeating fourth-seeded Queens University 2-0 in the South Atlantic Conference men's soccer tournament championship match at Manchester Meadows. 

Wingate improves to 14-3-3 overall, winning its first SAC Tournament title since 2002. This marks the first time the Bulldogs have won the regular season and tournament title in the same year since 1994. Queens falls to 10-8-1 overall. 

The Bulldogs got on the board four minutes into the opening half. Freshman defender Jack Wlodyka chipped a ball in the box towards SAC Player of the Year Jon Ander. The ball was deflected by a Queens defender, getting past the keeper and into the back of the net for an own goal. 

The Bulldogs would have to play the final 66 minutes of regulation down a man when senior defender Liam Gillesphey was given a red card. Wingate held a 5-2 advantage in shots, with each team notching a shot on goal. 

The second half saw Queens hold a 5-3 advantage in shots. Ander's shot two minutes in was stopped by Queens goalkeeper Matt Current. Marc-Kevin Schwenk took a shot on goal in the 61st minute, but SAC Freshman of the Year Pablo Jara as there for the save. Schwenk lined a shot on a free kick from 25 yards out, but Jara deflected it over the crossbar with a leaping save. 

The Bulldogs added an insurance goal with 16 seconds remaining, when Charlie Machell found Ander making a run down the left side of the field. He lined one past the keeper into the right corner, giving the SAC Player of the Year his 11th goal this season. 

The Bulldogs finished the day with an 8-7 advantage in shots, with each team taking three shots on goal. Jara collected three saves for Wingate, while Current had two saves for the Royals. 

Jara was named the Tournament MVP. The first team All-SAC goalkeeper registered three shutouts in the SAC Tournament, going all 290 minutes without allowing a goal. He also made two big saves in penalty kicks against Lincoln Memorial Friday, helping the Bulldogs advance to the title match. 

Joining Jara on the All-SAC Tournament team from Wingate are Ander, Machell and Callum Ross. All-Tournament selections from Queens are Schwenk, Corey Brown,Ryan Kawczynski. All-Tournament selections from Carson-Newman are Jules Gabbiadini and Stuart Oliver, while Lincoln Memorial's Nick Spielman and Danilo da Silva. 

Wingate will now await to learn its postseason fate. The Bulldogs were the number five team in last week's NCAA Southeast region poll. The NCAA Tournament field will be announced Monday evening. 

All-SAC Tournament Team
Jules Gabbiadini, Carson-Newman
Stuart Oliver, Carson-Newman
Nick Spielman, Lincoln Memorial
Danilo da Silva, Lincoln Memorial
Marc-Kevin Schwenk, Queens
Corey Brown, Queens
Ryan Kawczynski, Queens
Callum Ross, Wingate
Jon Ander, Wingate
Charlie Machell, Wingate
Pablo Jara, Wingate (MVP)