DOYLESTOWN, Pa. – The Salisbury University football team saw its 2010 season come to a close on Saturday in the first round of the NCAA Division III tournament at Delaware Valley College, falling to the Aggies, 23-12.

The Salisbury offense got few chances with the ball in the first half, as the Aggies put together a number of time-consuming drives, balancing their rushing and passing attack. After taking the opening kickoff, Delaware Valley drove 69 yards on eight plays, mixing three pass plays and five carries, capped by a Matt Cook 1-yard touchdown plunge. The point after attempt failed, but the Aggies had the lead which they would hold the rest of the way.

Salisbury's first two drives netted just three first downs for the Gulls (7-3), forcing the defense onto the field. Delaware Valley's offense did its part, as it put together a 19-play drive covering 71 yards and keeping the Sea Gull defense on the field for 9:07 and coming up with a 26-yard Jake Sobchak field goal for a 9-0 lead. The Aggies held nearly a 10-minute edge in time of possession in the first half. The game would go to halftime with the 9-0 score.

The Sea Gulls began the second half with a good start to the first possession, pounding the ball up the middle with superbacks Nick Coates and Joe Benedetti for 18 yards on the first three plays. Salisbury took the ball down to the Delaware Valley 28-yard line before a fumble, one of seven on the day, ended the threat.

The Aggies (9-2) would find the end zone twice in the third quarter to take a 23-0 lead before the Gulls would get on the board for the first time. Salisbury's first score game came with 8:36 left in the game as Brandon Norwood broke out down the left sideline for a 19-yard score. The two-point conversion failed, leaving Salisbury down by three scores, 23-6.

But the Sea Gull defense held its ground, getting the offense another chance, and Salisbury capitalized. It took just 2:37 for Salisbury to cover 71 yards as senior slot Bryan Woolson found the end zone with 3:04 left, to get the Gulls within 11 points. But Delaware Valley would allow just one more offensive possession, and that ended with a Salisbury fumble.

Norwood led Salisbury's rushing attack with 122 yards on just six carries and sophomore quarterback Dan Griffin ran for 61 yards.

The Salisbury defense limited the big play all day long, and allowed just 116 rushing yards for Delaware Valley. For the season, the Gulls allowed just 514 rushing yards, which is a program record, previously set in 2003, when they allowed 673 yards.

Juniors Ricky Cassidy and Jamey McClendon led the Salisbury defense on Saturday as each player finished with 10 tackles, seven of Cassidy's were solo. Cassidy also broke up four passes.

Despite losing 18 seniors, Salisbury Head Coach Sherman Wood is confident his team will be primed for next season, as the cohesiveness of the 2010 Salisbury football team is among the best of his coaching career.

"These guys are just such great guys," Wood said. "I've been coaching for 25 years and you hear coaches preach team chemistry and leadership all the time, but I've never felt it until this year. I felt it once in 2004, but I never felt what team chemistry really meant to a football team until this year.

"I think it's going to carry us a long way. We have a young football team and just to get this experience, I know these guys are itching to get going as soon as they can."