NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - It was a banner day for the Salisbury University defense as the Sea Gulls scored their first touchdown in five quarters and held the Apprentice School to just 55 total yards en route to a 25-0 shutout before 1,639 Saturday afternoon at Builder Field in Atlantic Central Football Conference action.

Salisbury (2-3, 1-1 ACFC) made six sacks, recovered one fumble, dropped the Shipbuilders for negative 35 yards rushing and picked off two passes, one of which was returned for a touchdown in the first quarter, to dominate the outcome of the game.

The Sea Gulls end their three-game losing streak and now pull even in the ACFC with a 1-1 mark. The Shipbuilders join the Sea Gulls at 1-1 in the conference standings and now stand 2-2 overall.

Salisbury scored on its second possession of the game as the Sea Gulls marched 76 yards on nine plays, highlighted by a 41-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Ronnie Curley to fellow sophomore wide receiver Avery Willie. Two plays later sophomore slot back Delanni Spriggs ran the ball in from four yards out to put SU up 7-0.

On the ensuing drive, Apprentice School quarterback Kyle Franklin dropped back to pass on the Shipbuilders' third play but got picked off by Salisbury senior linebacker Michael Hatcher, who ran the ball 30-yards into the end zone for the touchdown. The Sea Gull extra-point failed but Salisbury led 13-0 with 3:29 left to go in the first quarter.

It was déjà vu for Franklin and the Shipbuilders on the next drive as Salisbury freshman defensive back Reggie Gooch stepped in front of a Franklin pass and intercepted it and returned it 13 yards to the Apprentice 38.

SU junior Brendan Kincaid tacked on a 28-yard field goal right before halftime to send the Sea Gulls into the break up 16-0.

In the second half, the Salisbury defense picked up where it left off as the Sea Gulls forced the Shipbuilders to punt on the first possession of the third quarter. As Apprentice School punter Phillip Caralla stood back to punt the snap sailed over his head and Salisbury's Ryan Hesnan recovered the ball at the Apprentice 1-yard line. The Sea Gulls ran it three times before Curley coughed the ball up and gave it back to the Shipbuilders at the Apprentice 4.

Curley made up for his miscue as he scampered 44-yards for the touchdown with 1:58 left in the third quarter. SU's two-point conversion failed as the Gulls led 22-0.

Kincaid added a 21-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to end the scoring as the Sea Gulls left Newport News, Va., with a much needed victory.

Salisbury finished the game with 191 yards of total offense (145 rushing, 46 passing) as the Sea Gulls scored more points today then they did in the last three games combined.

Senior slot Anthony Johnson was the leading rusher for Salisbury with 40 yards on 10 carries. Curley finished with 30 yards on the ground (six carries) and was 5-for-9 passing for 46 yards.

The Sea Gulls are off next week before they host SUNY-Morrisville at 1 p.m., Saturday, October 14, on Homecoming and Family Day at Sea Gull Stadium.