BOCA RATON, Fla. — Sophomore Baker Westmoreland (Charlotte, N.C.) notched his seventh hat trick of the season to power the Wolves to a narrow 10-9 victory over the Lynn University Fighting Knights.

With the win, Newberry improves to 7-3 (3-1 SAC).

“We came ready to play. We had our game plan in place. We came out, we executed, made saves, capitalized on our offensive opportunities and played great defense,” said Head Coach Nick Cotter.

Lynn University got on the board first as they netted the game’s first goal less than a minute into the contest. Sophomore Miles Jones (Jupiter, Fla.) sparked the scoring effort for Newberry just four minutes later to notch both teams at one.

Westmoreland picked up a ground ball off of an LU save to fire one into the back of the net for his first of three goals for the day at the 7:45 mark. LU responded with a goal less than a minute later, ending the second quarter even at two.

The teams held each other scoreless for the first five minutes of the second before sophomore Mac Ryan (Lake Villa, Ill) scored to put the Wolves up 3-2. LU responded to tie it up, but the Wolves scored two-straight, capped off by a Scott Reed score on an assist from junior Curtis Bukta to head into the halftime break with a 5-3 advantage.

Ryan opened the second half with his 32nd goal of the year to balloon the Wolves lead to three. Bukta followed up an LU score with his only goal of the day at the 9:34 mark to give Newberry a 7-4 lead. Despite outscoring the Wolves, 4-3, in the third, Newberry headed into the fourth with a slim 8-7 advantage.

Westmoreland secured his seventh hat trick of the season at the 12:10 mark in the fourth to increase Newberry’s advantage to two. Scott Reed put the Wolves up by three at the 9:23 mark on an assist from newcomer Norman Pitt. The Fighting Knights went on to score two more goals to cut the deficit to one with 48 seconds left. LU’s comeback bid was cut short though as sophomore goalkeeper Griffin Broad registered his 11th save of the day with 14 seconds left to seal the 10-9 victory.

Newberry won 8-of-22 faceoffs with 25 ground balls in the win. On the defensive end, freshman duo Jack Travassos and Kaleb Malyon led the Wolves in caused turnovers with two apiece. Travassos also grabbed three ground balls to add to his stat line in the win.