WINGATE, N.C. – After waiting an extra day for the season opener, Saint Leo men's soccer got underway with No. 1 Wingate, the defending national champions, Friday night at Wingate Soccer Complex & Pride Park where the Bulldogs won, 4-2.
 
Despite the two goal differential at the end of the game, Saint Leo and Wingate played a tight 2-2 first half where after the Bulldogs went up, the Lions answered to keep the game intense. With a foul in the box in the 11^th minute, Wingate went up 1-0 on a penalty kick (PK) that glanced off the post and into the net.
 
After falling to behind 2-0, Saint Leo scored two unanswered goals in the 34^th and 42^nd minutes to tie the game as Yuga Yanagisawa and Tyler Palmer notched a goal apiece, respectively. Yanagisawa put the ball in the back of the net on a PK where Palmer swiped a failed Bulldog clear and beat the keeper to tie things up.
 
Wingate would score two times in the second half to go ahead 4-2, once in the 58^th minute and again in the 73^rd where the Bulldogs held onto the 4-2 victory.
 
The Basics
Final Results:  No. 1 Wingate def. Saint Leo 4-2
Where: Wingate Soccer Complex & Pride Park| Wingate N.C.
Record: Wingate 1-0 | Saint Leo 0-1
 
How It Happened
11'| Wingate got on the board first with a penalty kick by Felipe Checco | Wingate 1-0 |
27'| The Bulldogs widened their lead with a through ball that found Elliot Cutts before he buried it in the back of the net.
34'| Yuga Yanagisawa put the Lions on the board when he scored the Lions' PK bringing it to a 2-1 contest | Wingate 2-1 |
42'| Tyler Palmer tied the game with his first career goal after a failed clear put the ball in Palmer's pocket
58'|Elliot Cutts scored his second of the game after Felipe Checco played a through ball finding Cutts who would touch it over the Lions' keeper | Wingate 3-2 |
73'| Wingate would score their final goal as Elma N'For lined the one-timer into the corner from Garrett Bridgewater
 
Points to Note

• Yuga Yanagisawa's goal was the third of his career; he scored two in 2015 and was goalless in 2016
• Tyler Palmer scored his first career goal for the Lions
• Wessel Berenschot got the nod in goal for the Lions and suffered the loss but helped keep the Lions close to the Bulldogs. Berenschot tallied two saves on 11 shots faced in his first start for the Green and Gold.

For the Opponent – Wingate

• No. 1 Wingate won its season opener and will look to remain perfect when they play Sunshine State Conference foe Rollins Saturday at 7 p.m.
• Elliot Cutts scored two goals and tallied one assist on the night to lead the Bulldogs in both categories.

UP NEXT
Saint Leo will face Lees-McRae at 2 p.m. where No. 1 Wingate will take on Rollins at 7 p.m.
 
For the latest news, updates, and information on the Saint Leo men's soccer team, visit SaintLeoLions.com. Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Lions news by following Saint Leo Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.