SALISBURY, Md. - The Salisbury University volleyball team dropped its first Capital Athletic Conference match of the season to rival Gallaudet University, 3-2, on Thursday evening at the Maggs Center before a crowd of 683. The loss puts SU in a three-way tie for first place in the CAC with Gallaudet and St. Mary's (Md.) College as the teams head into the final week of the regular season.

SU (23-9, 6-1 CAC) found itself in a 2-2 tie after leading 2-1 when the Bison (20-8, 6-1 CAC) stampeded past the Sea Gulls in the final two sets.

In the fifth and final set SU trailed 5-10 but rallied with the help of the raucous Sea Gull crowd. The Sea Gulls scored four straight to get to within two points, 9-11, but could not hold on. Gallaudet clinched the set and match on a Bison service ace that froze the Gulls as it struck the end line. This is the fifth time the Sea Gulls have dropped a match deciding fifth set in six opportunities this season.

Salisbury jumped out in the first set as the maroon and gold won a long volley, with great diving saves and spikes, which led to a 13-11 lead and forced Gallaudet to call timeout. From there SU took over and increased the lead to 29-23. Within a point of winning the set the Gulls allowed the Bison to storm back and knot the game at 29. The marathon set continued until the 36th point earned by Gallaudet to win, 36-34.

The maroon and gold bounced back in the second set with a 30-22 victory. The set featured runs from both teams. SU went up 16-11 and then Gallaudet went on a 6-2 run. SU finished the set on a 12-5 run to tie the match at one game apiece.

Gallaudet turned the tables on Salisbury in the third set as the Bison controlled the set up as much as seven, 24-17. SU scored eight of the final 10 points to take the set and a 2-1 match advantage.

At the end of this epic CAC match, which lasted two hours and forty-five minutes, the top statistical leaders for Salisbury were juniors Jaime Marzocchi (46 assists, 13 digs) and Stacey Krebs (18 kills, 12 digs). Sophomore Gabby Long had a team-high 25 digs which edged out fellow sophomore Rachel Downes, who recorded 21 digs and added 16 kills.

Salisbury is now 10-2 at home as the maroon and gold have dropped two of the past three matches at the Maggs Center. Gallaudet evens the season series with Salisbury, 1-1.

The Gulls will close out their regular season on Tuesday, October 24, at home on Senior Night at the Maggs Center. SU will host University of Mary Washington in a match that will help decide the top seed in the upcoming CAC tournament.