FINAL FOUR! #1 Wingate Blanks #14 Tampa to Advance to Final Four

Wingate, N.C.----The top-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs got a second half goal from All-American Jon Ander (Bilbao, Spain) Sunday afternoon, while picking up their third consecutive postseason shutout en route to a 1-0 victory over the South Region and 14th-ranked University of Tampa in the NCAA National Quarterfinals at Pride Park. The Bulldogs improve to 17-1 overall, advancing to the NCAA Final Four for the first time in the history of Wingate Athletics. Tampa ends its season at 13-5-3.

"It's hard for me to explain the emotions right now," head coach Gary Hamill says. "I've been here at Wingate 25 years, half my life, so to get the opportunity to go to the Final Four, once we're there, we're going there to win the thing."

After being the only team in all of NCAA men's soccer to go through the season undefeated and untied, the top-ranked Bulldogs scored three second-half goals in a 3-0 victory against Limestone in the regional semifinals. Wingate downed defending national champion Pfeiffer 1-0 Friday night to win its second-ever regional title and advance to Sunday's Elite Eight. The men's soccer team is now the first-ever Wingate program to advance to an NCAA national semifinal.

"Friday night was an emotional rollercoaster, one of the greatest nights in Wingate soccer history," Hamill says. "The plan was to come out Sunday and settle down, get Friday night out of our system and just play. We definitely had some first-half jitters."

The first 45 minutes went scoreless, with the Bulldogs holding a 7-5 advantage in shots while each team took two shots on goal. Wingate's best chance came just five minutes in, when sophomore Nate Evans (Greenville, N.C.) fired a shot from the top of the box, but Jake Richards was there for a leaping save, knocking it just over the crossbar for a Wingate corner kick. Ander also had a shot on frame in the opening half, but Richards was again there for the save.

Tampa took the second half kickoff and got a shot on frame just 12 seconds in, but All-American goalkeeper Pablo Jara (Santiago, Chile) was there to stop a Lewis Sugden attempt. After that, the 'Dogs dominated possession, taking 10 of the last 11 shots in the contest, including five shots on goal. Ander had shots in the 50th and 57th minute that were turned away by Richards, while a shot from junior midfielder David Fairgrieve (Newcastle, England) with 30 minutes to go went just over the top of the crossbar.

Wingate got on the board in the 67th minute. Ander took a ball from around middle field and went towards the left corner of the box. The 2015 SAC Player of the Year lined one from five yards outside the box that beat Richards into the opposite corner, the eighth goal of the year for Ander to put Wingate on top. "I didn't think I'd see another goal like Friday night, but Jon Ander, that's his trademark," Hamill says.  

Wingate finished the day with a 17-7 advantage in shots, including a 7-4 edge in shots on goal. Ander led all players with five shots, including four shots on goal.

Jara collected four saves on the day to collect his 10th shutout of the season and third of the NCAA Tournament. The Wingate defense, coming off a shutout against the nation's most prolific offense, held the Spartans six shots below their season average. Richards collected six saves for Tampa. "Defense wins championships and we have special players in the back with the back four plus a great keeper." Hamill says about the Wingate defense that has allowed just eight goals through 18 games this years.

"It's not over yet," senior defensive captain Alex Nelson says. "We're still going to keep pushing, we want that national championship, whatever it takes to get that trophy."

With the victory, the Bulldogs are onto the NCAA National Semifinals in Kansas City, Mo. Wingate will face ninth-ranked UC San Diego Thursday, Dec. 1. The winner of that contest advances to the national title game Saturday, Dec. 3 in Kansas City. The other national semifinal contests features Charleston (W.Va.) and Rockhurst.