SALISBURY, Md. – The No. 2 Salisbury University field hockey team started off Capital Athletic Conference play on a rainy Saturday afternoon with a win over York (Pa.) College, defeating the Spartans 6-1 at Sea Gull Stadium.

It took both teams awhile to adjust to the slick turf but Salisbury would dominate the first half outshooting York (4-2, 0-1 CAC) 18-2 and collecting two penalty corners. Of those 18 first half shots, four resulted in goals. The first goal of the game was collected off the Spartan goalkeeper's pads by senior Alison Bloodsworth, scoring her fifth goal of the season.

A minute and 20 seconds later, the Sea Gulls would capitalize off their first corner of the half as junior Erica Henderson collected her own rebound and flicked it into the upper right corner of the goal to give the Gulls a 2-0 edge. Henderson would score two more goals earning a hat trick in the contest.

SU (6-0, 1-0 CAC) would score once more off a breakaway from senior Courtney Webster who was able to dish the ball to senior Caitlin Walker, she sent the ball just off the foot of the keeper for the third goal of the game. The Spartans quickly recovered and put a goal on the board to lessen the lead to 3-1 off the stick of Liz Maue. To end the half SU was able to tack on another goal, by Henderson, to give it a 4-1 lead.

In the second half the Sea Gulls scored early on as anything in front of the cage seemed to find the back of the goal. Webster scored in the second minute of the second half. Eight minutes later Webster sent a pass to Henderson who was waiting at the left post to sweep it in for her third and final goal of the match.

The maroon and gold defense held strong allowing only one shot in the second half. Senior Anna Cooke earned the win in cage playing just over 60 minutes.

Salisbury will now prepare for the top team in the country, Messiah College. The contest between the No.1 and No.2-ranked teams will be held at Sea Gull Stadium on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at 4 p.m.