FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – The Salisbury University volleyball team traveled to Capital Athletic Conference-foe University of Mary Washington on Saturday, splitting a tri match with Mary Washington and Bridgewater (Va.) College; the Sea Gulls fell to UMW, 3-1, before taking down Bridgewater, 3-0.

Mary Washington 3, Salisbury 1

The Sea Gulls dropped their first match of the day, falling in the first two sets 25-17, 27-25, before drawing within one set in the match with a 25-13 third-set win. However, the Eagles took the fourth set 25-19, giving SU its third conference loss.

Salisbury was led in the game defensively by senior Michelle Meehan with 24 digs, while freshman Rachel Pierson led the team with 36 assists.

After falling in the first match of the day, the Sea Gulls were able to come out of the day 1-1 with their second match against Bridgewater.

Salisbury 3, Bridgewater 0

The Sea Gulls got off to a quick start, as a kill from senior Nikki Binetti gave SU a 1-0 lead, but the teams traded points and leads through the beginning of the first set until the score was tied 10-10.

After two Eagle errors, Binetti tallied another kill, forcing a Bridgewater timeout. Out of the timeout, sophomore Shannon Russell notched a service ace, followed by a kill from sophomore Katie Stouffer and a block by Stouffer and Binetti, completing a 6-0 run to build a 16-10 lead.

The Gulls held the lead, never allowing it to drop below four, as a kill from senior Julie Poston grabbed the first set for Salisbury 25-15.

Poston started the second set with a kill for SU's first point, beginning a 7-2 opening stretch; Binetti tallied two service aces in the run, giving the Sea Gulls the initial lead.

With the help of two kills from Binetti, the advantage increased to 14-8, but a 7-1 run for Bridgewater tied the match at 15-15.

Despite the comeback, a 5-0 spurt for the Gulls, capped by consecutive kills from Stouffer, Poston, and Binetti regained the lead 20-15, before another Stouffer kill gave SU a 2-0 lead in the match, 25-18.

The Sea Gulls started quickly again in the third set when Russell began the frame with a service ace, and freshman Samantha Chubb tallied a kill to cap an 8-2 run to start the set.

Bridgewater cut the lead to 9-7, but another 5-0 stretch, highlighted by three service aces from junior Kacey Franz rebuilt the advantage to 14-7.

The Eagles again cut the lead down to only two 17-15, but the Gulls held strong, as Poston, Chubb, and Stouffer all notched kills to help close the set and take the match.

Stouffer and Poston led the team with 11 and 10 kills, respectively, while Pierson paced the team with 19 assists and 13 digs.

The Sea Gulls remain on the road for a CAC match with Marymount (Va.) University on Wednesday, October 15; the match is set for 7 p.m.