SALISBURY, Md. - Top-ranked Salisbury
University celebrated the 30th men's lacrosse meeting with Ohio
Wesleyan University with a 15-8 victory before 760 sun-drenched
fans Sunday at Sea Gull Stadium. The Sea Gulls, winners of the past
eight matchups against the Battling Bishops, hold a 24-6 series
advantage over OWU since the first meeting occurred in 1975.
Salisbury (6-0) broke open the very physical game in the second
half as the Gulls scored four unanswered goals late in the third
quarter into the fourth to take a 13-6 lead. The two teams traded
two goals apiece in the final quarter of play to close out the
game.
SU freshman attackman Matt Cannone (one assist)
led all-scorers with five goals while junior attackman Mike
Winter, junior midfielder Mike Von
Kamecke and freshman midfielder Sam
Bradman scored two goals and two assists each. Senior
All-American Kylor Berkman was held to one goal as
he passed out two assists for a three-point game. Berkman has
recorded one point in the past 55 games, since he was held
scoreless against Washington (Md.) College on April 29, 2006.
The victory is the 51st in a row for the Sea Gulls, the two-time
defending NCAA Division III national champions. SU has not lost a
game at home in the past 78 contests and has won 83 consecutive
regular-season games since 2003.
Salisbury jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead over OWU (2-2) in the
first two minutes to force the Battling Bishops to take a timeout.
Bradman scored his first goal minutes later off an assist from
senior Stephen Krasco (one goal, one assist) to
give the Sea Gulls a 4-0 lead. OWU battled back with three straight
marks, two on extra-man opportunities, to cut the SU lead to one
with a minute left in the first quarter. SU long-stick midfielder
Connor Burgasser capped off the opening quarter
with a transition goal that brought the crowd to its feet.
The Sea Gulls outscored the Bishops 3-2 in the second quarter as
SU marched into halftime up 8-5.
OWU was led by senior attackman Nick Gallagher who scored two
goals. The Bishops had seven different goal scorers while junior
attackman Gavin Cunningham passed out a team-high two assists.
SU outshot OWU 50-45, made 22-of-25 clear attempts and scooped
up 40 ground balls. The Sea Gulls won 17-of-25 face-offs as junior
midfielder Ryan Finch (eight ground balls) went
16-for-22. Salisbury and Ohio Wesleyan combined for 27 penalties as
the Sea Gulls scored six extra-man goals.
Sophomore goalie Johnny Rodriguez made a
career-high 17 saves as he played the entire 60 minutes for the
first time this season for SU. Rodriguez's counterpart Jud Hall
made 12 saves for OWU. Both goalies made six saves in the second
quarter.
The Sea Gulls will next host Marymount (Va.) University on
Wednesday, March 11, for a 4 p.m. Capital Athletic Conference game.
