OWINGS MILLS, Md. - There will be a new NCAA Division III men's lacrosse national champion in 2009 as the two-time defending champions Salisbury University fell 11-9 to top-ranked Stevenson University on Wednesday afternoon before 1,302 at the Caves Athletic Complex in the national quarterfinals.

This is the first time since 2002 that the Sea Gulls have not reached the national semifinal round when SU lost to another top-ranked team in Gettysburg College, 7-5. Salisbury had won five of the past six national championships, eight overall since 1994.

Second-ranked Salisbury (16-4) tied the game early in the third quarter after Stevenson (17-1) led 5-3 at the half. SU netted back-to-back goals in a nine-second span. Senior All-American Kylor Berkman scored an unassisted goal a minute and a half into the third quarter. SU won the ensuing face-off as junior midfielder Ryan Finch assisted freshman Matt Cannone on his third goal in the game to knot the game at 5-5 with 13:21 left in the quarter.

The Mustangs broke open the game in the final 10 minutes of the third quarter as Stevenson scored four straight goals. Former SU All-American Brett Yoder scored two of his three goals in the game for Stevenson in the quarter on extra-man opportunities. Yoder's two marks were assisted by Jimmy Dailey (one goal, three assists).

Stevenson scored the first goal of the fourth quarter before Salisbury freshman midfielder Sam Bradman (one goal, two assists) scored an unassisted goal with 11:18 left in the game. Five minutes later, Salisbury scored its seventh goal of the game off the stick of junior Mike Von Kamecke (two goals) to pull within three, 10-7. Three minutes went off the clock before Stevenson put the game away with a Jake Stocksdale goal off an assist from Steve Kazmir (one goal, three assists) with 3:49 left in the game. The Sea Gulls scored the next goal 44 seconds later when junior Mike Winter scored off an assist from junior Jake DeLillo. Moments later, Winter fed Von Kamecke on a goal with 1:36 left in the game before the Mustangs won the final face-off.

The Mustangs received balance scoring as nine different players scored at least one goal.

Salisbury sophomore Johnny Rodriguez made nine saves in the loss while Stevenson goalie Geoff Hebert stopped 14 shots, including several big saves down the stretch.

Stevenson outshot Salisbury 42-36 in the game and 12-4 in the decisive 4-2 third quarter. Salisbury won 15-of-24 face-offs and converted 20-of-21 clear attempts. The Sea Gulls committed eight penalties, five in the second half, as the Mustangs scored three extra-man goals all from Yoder.

Salisbury scored the game's first goal as Cannone scored six minutes into the first quarter off an assist from Bradman. The lead was short lived as Stevenson scored the next three goals and led 4-2 after the first quarter of play.

Stevenson wins the season series against Salisbury 2-1 as the Mustangs won 12-8 at Sea Gull Stadium on April 4 to end SU's 105 conference consecutive game win streak. Salisbury then beat Stevenson, 15 days later, in the Capital Athletic Conference championship game by eight goals, 13-5.

The Mustangs will host Gettysburg in a national semifinal this weekend.

This was the last game for seven Salisbury seniors who compiled an 82-5 career record. In the past four years, the Sea Gulls won two national championships and made three straight championship game appearances.