West Florida Ends Wingate's NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament Run

WINGATE, N.C. - The third-ranked University of West Florida Argonauts defeated No. 21 Wingate University 3-2 in the NCAA national quarterfinals Sunday afternoon at the Wingate University Soccer Complex. The defending national champion Argonauts improve to 17-0-3 overall, advancing to the NCAA Final Four. Wingate ends its season at 16-3-4 overall.

West Florida got on the board 26:50 into the contest, when Sara Helgadottir took a loose ball from just outside the box and ripped one just over the hands of Wingate junior goalkeeper Ashlyn Hardie (Summerfield, N.C.) to make it 1-0.

Wingate had the answer, tying the game 12 minutes later. 2012 first team All-American Jade Montgomery (Monroe, N.C.) headed home her team-best 17th goal of the season to tie the game at one. The cross came from first team All-SAC senior Chandler Murphy (Pawleys Island, S.C.). Murphy registered at least a point in every NCAA Tournament game, notching two goals and an assist in three contests.

The Argonauts had the immediate response, regaining the lead less than a minute later when April Syme netted her second goal of the season, heading a cross from Chelsea Palmer into the corner of the net, giving West Florida a 2-1 lead at halftime.

The Argonauts took a two-goal lead with 19 minutes remaining in regulation when Palmer ripped one into the upper corner from 18 yards out, making it 3-1. The reigning national Player of the Year, Palmer has 12 goals on the season.

Wingate would cut the lead to one with under 30 seconds remaining in regulation, when a ball across the box was re-directed into the net by a West Florida defender, making the final margin 3-2.

Wingate outshot West Florida 13-12 on the afternoon, with each team taking seven shots on goal. Hardie finished with four saves for Wingate, while Sarah Story had six saves for the Argos.

West Florida advances to the Final Four for the second consecutive season, which will be held in Evans, Ga. in two weeks.

The Bulldogs see their most impressive season come to an end. Wingate won the SAC Tournament title for the second time in three years, while making the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season. The Bulldogs had never made an NCAA Tournament appearance before 2011. Wingate was the number one seed in the region for the first time in program history, winning its first-ever NCAA Tournament game and making an Elite Eight appearance for the first time ever.

- Wingate media relations