The top-seeded and 13th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs captured their third straight SAC Tournament championship Sunday afternoon, defeating the 16th-ranked Queens University Royals 11-9 in the championship game of the 2019 South Atlantic Conference men's lacrosse tournament at Graham Gill Field. This was the second straight week the Bulldogs and Royals met with a SAC title on the line; with Wingate prevailing 11-9 in both meetings. The three-time defending SAC tournament champion Bulldogs are 13-3 overall, while the Royals fall to 13-4 on the season. THOUGHTS FROM TIM BOYLE "I couldn't be more proud of the team and the coaching staff. This has been the goal since day one and they were able to accomplish it! I am honored to be able to lead this group of young men. They represent the program and the university in an amazing way. We are excited about the possibility to extend our season and have a chance to compete in the NCAA tournament." KEY STATS - Wingate out-shot Queens 38-35 - The 'Dogs held a slight 23-19 advantage in shots on goal - Both teams collected 18 ground balls - WU won 15 face-offs, QU won nine - The Royals went one-for-three in man-up opportunities; Wingate was one-for-four KEY BULLDOGS - Joe Cooper had a game-high three goals and collected two ground balls - Conor Gronbach piled up two goals and one assist - Alex Llerandi collected two goals and two groundballs - Dominic Piazza notched the game-winner and collected a ground ball - Bobby Padden and Josh Ferentinos each had one goal and one assist - Wyatt Weiseman won 15-of-24 face-offs and registered a goal - Alex Cordero collected 10 saves for the 'Dogs NOTES - Wingate improves to 5-6 all time against Queens - Fourth straight win over the Royals - WU wins the SAC championship for the third year in a row - The 'Dogs are on a seven-game win streak - The Bulldogs defeat the Royals in the SAC tournament championship for the second time in three years - Llerandi netted his 117th career goal moving him to fourth all time in the Wingate Record Books - Weiseman is 499-of-999 in face-offs in his career as a Bulldog - The Bulldogs went 39-of-50 in face-offs in the SAC Tournament - Weiseman was 34-of-45 for 76 percent in tournament play - Weiseman was named the SAC Tourney MVP - Weiseman, Llerandi, Piazza, Cooper and James Houston earned All-Tournament team honors FIRST PERIOD - The Royals got on the board first with a goal from Quinn Tallant at the 12:13 mark - Wingate answered when Gronbach found the back of the net at the 11-minute mark - A Kealan Pilon goal put Queens back on top two minutes later - The Bulldogs defense held the Royals scoreless for the next 15 minutes of play - Wingate went on a 4-0 run for the remainder of the quarter - Padden netted a man-up goal for the 'Dogs with 6:17 remaining - WU took a 3-2 lead at the 2:52 mark on a Llerandi goal - Cooper scored with 1:47 to go, making it 4-2 - Wieseman would win the face-off and find the back of the net just six seconds later, making it 5-2 at the end of the frame SECOND PERIOD - QU scored at 8:37 seconds into the frame to get back within two - Gronbach answered with a goal a minute later to give WU a 6-3 advantage - Eric Fitz scored back-to-back goals for the Royals to make it 6-5 at halftime THIRD PERIOD - The 'Dogs would find the back of the net first in the second half with a Cooper goal at the 12:21 mark - Queens got a Jeese Oliver goal at the eight-minute mark - Laszlo Henning tied the game at 7-7 with 40 second left in the third frame FOURTH PERIOD - After a 14-minute scoring drought, Ferentinos put Wingate back on top at the 13:30 mak - Llerandi netted his second of the day with 8:19 remaining to give the 'Dogs the 9-7 lead - QU found the back of the net with 6:40 to go to get back within one - Piazza would net the game winner for the Bulldogs one minute later - The Royals got a man-up goal with 2:35 to go from Tallant - Cooper's goal with 1:09 to go gave the 'Dogs an 11-9 cushion UP NEXT - Wingate will wait to learn its postseason fate next week - The NCAA bracket will be announced next Sunday, May 5 - The Bulldogs were ranked eighth in the most recent South Region poll - Wingate is looking to make its third NCAA Tourney appearance in program history - The 'Dogs appeared in the 2001 and 2017 tournaments