NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Senior defensive end Paul Cynewski (Moorestown, N.J.) collected a game-high 15 tackles and had one sack but it was not enough as the Salisbury University football team dropped a tough non-conference, triple-overtime decision to Christopher Newport University, 27-21, on Saturday afternoon in front of 5,265 on Family Weekend at POMOCO Field. The game saw six fumbles altogether as the two teams combined for 14 sacks for 77 yards.

Salisbury (1-2) was propelled in the contest by Cynewski and the rest of its defense. The unit was consistent in being resilient time after the time as the squad shunned the Captains in numerous critical situations. The biggest stop of the contest came with less than one minute remaining in the fourth quarter. After a failed offensive drive, Salisbury's defense was greeted with the Captains beginning a drive at the Sea Gull 36-yard line. CNU running back Corey Legister opened up the drive with a 9-yard rush but it was all he would get on the drive as SU sent the game into overtime with three consecutive stops at the line of scrimmage.

The defense had eight players notch at least eight tackles in the game. Salisbury was led by Cynewski, who collected 11 solo tackles and had three tackles for losses. Senior linebacker Tom Fontaine (Philadelphia, Pa.) contributed with 11 tackles (10 solo), while senior linebacker Eric Arndt (Waldwick, N.J.) had one sack for 7 yards, one of his 10 tackles on the day. SU was also aided by the performances of sophomore defensive back Ricky Cassidy (Edgewater, Md.) and junior linebacker Justin Chura (Lothian, Md.) who both had nine tackles, and junior defensive lineman Riley Fritts' (Columbia, Md.) eight tackles and two sacks.

Salisbury looked to win the game in the early stages of the first overtime when the Sea Gull defense forced the Captains into their fourth turnover on downs of the game. The offense moved the ball just enough to set up sophomore kicker Tommy Kowalick (Sterling, Va.) for a 29-yard field goal attempt to win the game, but the Captains would stay alive after a member of the defense got just enough on the ball to send it short of the crossbar.

On the second possession of overtime, Bryan Woolson (White Hall, Md.) ran in from 25-yards out to force the Captains into having to score a touchdown. The favor was quickly returned as Corey Legister bulled in for a 1-yard touchdown moments later to send the game to a third extra session.

In the third overtime, Christopher Newport was granted the ball first. On the eighth play of the drive, Monsiva Woelfel scored the Captains' third rushing touchdown of the game. Salisbury was unable to move the ball on its last possession, and on a fourth-and-2 play the Captains claimed the victory after Bryan Vaughn took down Salisbury quarterback Sean Kelly(Fallston, Md.) just short of the first down.

Salisbury was propelled on offense by Kelly, who threw for 109 yards and one touchdown. Kelly, who made his first career start in the contest, continued his impressive day with 37 yards rushing on the ground. Randal Smedley (Frederick, Md.) (one touchdown) led the SU backfield with 71 yards on 12 carries, while Woolson contributed with 46 yards and one score.

Salisbury returns home on Saturday, Sept. 26, to host St. John Fisher College at 12 p.m. The meeting will be the second contest between the two squads and the first since SU pinned a 58-52 four-overtime decision on the road at SJFC last season.