SALISBURY, Md. - The scoreboard at Sea Gull
Stadium wasn't wrong Wednesday afternoon when the score posted had
a visiting team leading the top-ranked Salisbury University men's
lacrosse team. For the first time in nine games at Sea Gull Stadium
the Gulls trailed 3-1 midway through the second quarter. Salisbury
(7-0) overcame its sloppy play and regrouped in the second half to
defeat pesky Widener University, 13-7, before a crowd of 300.
SU looked out of sync in the first quarter as the high potent
offense, which averages over 20 goals a game, could only score one
in the first quarter. Junior Greg Titus (two
goals, two assists) scored his 20th goal of the season off an
assist from sophomore Kylor Berkman (three
assists) at the 7:50 mark. That was the longest stretch (seven
minutes, 10 seconds) this season for Salisbury to score its first
goal of the game.
Widener seized the moment to attack a vulnerable Salisbury team.
The Pride (2-1) tied the game at 1-1 off an unassisted Chris
Matthews goal. Four minutes later, Widener scored back-to-back
goals, within 12 seconds of each other, to take a surprising 3-1
lead.
The Sea Gulls hadn't trailed in a game since last season's
national championship game when SUNY Cortland defeated Salisbury
13-12 in overtime. The 3-1 second quarter margin was also the same
deficit Salisbury faced against arch-rival Washington College in
last year's NCAA quarterfinals. SU went onto win that game (8-4)
and later advanced to its fourth straight national championship
game.
Salisbury senior attackman Eric Bishop scored
two of his game-high five goals to close out the first half to send
the Sea Gulls into the break up, 5-3.
In the second half, SU scored four of the first five goals.
Widener answered with three straight goals with the latter coming
off the stick of Clint Quedenfeld (two goals, one assist) 53
seconds into the fourth quarter.
Bishop and junior attackman Matt Hickman (four
goals, one assist) scored two apiece to close out the final quarter
and seal the 54th straight regular-season win and the 49th straight
win at home for Salisbury. Hickman's four goals on the day gives
him 30 for the season through seven games.
Widener goalie Anthony Johnson played a great game as he made 15
saves as SU unloaded 45 shots. SU controlled the faceoffs as it won
17-of-23 and were a perfect 24-for-24 on clears.
Salisbury will next host Denison University at Noon, Sunday,
March 18, at Sea Gull Stadium.
