CHESTERTOWN, Md. - Senior Jonas Vaitkus had a career night as the Salisbury men's basketball forward scored 18 points and grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds against Washington (Md.) College on the road Monday night at the Cain Athletic Center. Vaitkus' performance wasn't enough to snap the Sea Gull (2-10) losing skid as the Shoremen (3-8) won 73-66 between the two Eastern Shore rivals.

Vaitkus scored 14 points in the first half, six from the free-throw line, and grabbed five rebounds. SU led by as much as seven, five minutes into the game, but went into halftime down six, 41-35.

SU knotted the game at 44 at the 16:38 mark in the second half on a fast break lay-up converted by junior Brandon Abney. Washington increased its lead to double digits minutes later behind the sharp shooting of Tim Kohlrus (23 points, eight rebounds) and Andrew Chambers (11 points). The game featured five lead changes and four ties.

The Sea Gulls managed to pull within single digits of the Shoremen with five minutes remaining.

Sophomore Greg Palmer (16 points) scored six consecutive points for Salisbury in a two-minute stretch as the Sea Gulls only trailed by three, 65-62, with three minutes left. Washington put the game away as it scored the next seven points.

SU senior guard Gary Ward was the other Sea Gull to score in double digits as he scored 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Salisbury outrebounded Washington 47-36 as both teams shot around 40 percent from the field for the game.

The loss is the ninth straight for the Sea Gulls this season, the most in the Steve Holmes era (eight seasons). This is the second time under Coach Holmes that the Sea Gulls have started a season 2-10 (2002-03).

Salisbury will look to get back on the winning track Wednesday as the Sea Gulls host Rt. 13 rival Wesley College in a 7:30 p.m. Capital Athletic Conference game at the Maggs Center.