SALISBURY, Md. - As the final second ticked off
the scoreboard the Catholic University field hockey team stormed
the field in jubilation as the Cardinals pulled off a monumental
1-0 Capital Athletic Conference win over No. 4 Salisbury on
Wednesday afternoon.
The scene was one that Salisbury hadn't seen in 72-straight home
games. The Sea Gulls last lost a home game on November 11, 2000 in
the NCAA Division III semifinals to William Smith (3-1 final
score). That same year Salisbury suffered its last regular-season
loss, a 2-1 defeat by Eastern Mennonite on September 17, 2000, a
streak of 60-straight games.
Catholic's win is also historical in the fact that the last time
Salisbury lost a home CAC game was October 1, 1994 to Mary
Washington (1-0 final score), a streak of 52 games. That was also
the first CAC loss for the SU field hockey program. SU joined the
CAC in 1994.
It has been over five years (37 games) since Salisbury last
dropped a conference game. Mary Washington defeated SU, 6-3, on
October 2, 2001 in Fredericksburg, Va.
Catholic (6-4, 2-1 CAC) leading goal scorer Jayme Dinsmore
deposited the game-winner, off an assist from Michele Repass, at
the 52nd minute to lead the Cardinals to victory. The goal is
Dinsmore's ninth of the year.
Salisbury (9-3, 2-1 CAC) outshot Catholic, 8-3, and took six
more corners, 9-3, then the Cardinals did.
"We are playing hard. We are just not finishing and taking care
of our opportunities," said Salisbury head coach Dawn
Chamberlin.
This is the first time Salisbury has lost three straight games
since 1993.
"Bad luck comes in threes," said Chamberlin. "Hopefully this is
our last strike."
Cardinal goalie Marian Cassilly (five saves) played strong in
goal to earn her first shutout of the season. Salisbury was without
the services of regular goalie Maria Ramoundos so
freshman Erin Keenan (one save) had to step in and
play the entire game.
Salisbury holds a remarkable 82-4 all-time CAC record (including
postseason conference games) since 1994.
The Sea Gulls also continue to dominate the series with the
Cardinals, 27-2-1. The last time Catholic defeated Salisbury was in
1991 (3-2) and in 1980 the two teams played to a 2-2 tie.
SU will look to snap its current slide next week at 4:30 p.m.,
Tuesday, October 10, as the Sea Gulls travel to Towson, Md., to
face Goucher College
