GREENSBORO, N.C. –
After dealing with a winter storm that plagued the Salisbury area,
the No. 4 Salisbury University men's lacrosse team was
finally able to get outdoors as it opened up the 2010 season with a
19-6 win over Greensboro College on Sunday. The win marks the 21st
consecutive season the Gulls have won the season opener, and the
program now has a 28-9 record in season openers.
Salisbury (1-0) was led by senior attackman Jake DeLillo (Yorktown
Heights, N.Y.) who scored five goals in the contest,
including the game-winning goal. The five goals scored matches his
personal best, which he set in the Capital Athletic Conference
semifinal game against St. Mary's (Md.) College on April 16,
2009. Sophomores Sam Bradman (Canton,
N.Y.) and Matt Cannone (Bayport,
N.Y.) each scored four goals and dished out one
assist. The five points for Bradman establishes a new career-high
as well. Midfielders Mike Von Kamecke
(Winter Park, Fla.) and Shawn Zordani (Littleton,
Colo.) each dished out three assists in the
victory. Senior
Kevin Finn (Evanston,
Ill.) and freshman Eric Law (Centennial,
Colo.) each chipped in with one goal and one assist.
Senior Ryan Finch (Finksburg,
Md.), sophomores Tim Lum (Long Valley,
N.J.) and Matt Pierotti (Corning,
N.Y) and freshman Brandon Groux
(Newark, Del.) each contributed a goal in the
victory.
Finch, a preseason second-team All-American, also performed well
on face-offs for the Gulls as he won 8-of-13 (.62 win percentage)
and scooped up four ground balls. Senior long-stick midfielder
Connor Burgasser
(Mendon, N.Y.) caused a team-high two turnovers in the
win and scooped up three ground balls. Junior goalie Johnny Rodriguez
(Gambrills, Md.) earned his first victory of the
season in between the pipes as he staved off seven shots in 45
minutes of action. Fellow classmate Tim Swinburn (Swarthmore,
Pa.) played the final 15 minutes of the game in goal
and made two saves without allowing any goals.
The Pride (0-1) was led by attackman Brad Gesser who scored four
goals and scooped up three ground balls in the loss. Senior goalie
Matt Leach played the entire game and made 15 saves for
Greensboro.
The Sea Gulls dominated almost every statistical category as they
outshot the Pride 53-23, held a 34-24 ground balls advantage, and
were a near-perfect 24-of-25 on clears while they held Greensboro
to just 16-of-24 on clears. Face-offs were even as each team won 13
face-offs.
The Gulls will get back to work this week, as this Saturday they
are set to square off with No. 18 Lynchburg College at 1 p.m. at
Sea Gull Stadium.
