ALLIANCE, Ohio – The 24th-ranked Salisbury University football team fell in the opening round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament to the second-ranked Mount Union Purple Raiders, 51-0, on Saturday.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Salisbury forced a turnover on downs on Mount Union's opening drive of the game.
• Salisbury drove down the field on its first possession of the game with good runs by Jaden Davis and Dario Belizaire to get in Mount territory. However, the drive ended on a Joey Bildstein fumble after a good 15-yard gain.
• Mount Union responded to the fumble with a Braxton Plunk to Wayne Ruby Jr. touchdown from 18 yards for the first score of the game.
• Plunk accounted for three touchdowns in the second quarter to take a 27-0 lead at the half.
• Salisbury looked to get some positive momentum late in the third quarter when Casey Counts blocked a punt and it was recovered inside the Mount Union 25-yard line. The offensive drive stalled at the 15-yard line.
• Mount Union capitalized on back-to-back SU turnovers to give the game its final margin.

SALISBURY GAME NOTES

• The Sea Gulls tallied 65 yards of total offense.
• Dario Belizaire notched 30 rushing yards on eight carries.
• Joey Bildstein registered 20 yards on the ground.
• Jimmy Celentano led the defensive effort with a career-high 14 tackles.
• C.J. Wood and Caleb Brubaker also recorded career-highs in tackles with 11 and 10 respectively. Wood also added a tackle for loss.
• Noah Christenson had seven punts to total 268 yards for a 38.3 average. He had two punts that went over 50 yards.

MOUNT UNION GAME NOTES

• Mount Union recorded 550 yards of total offense with 34 first downs.
• Braxton Plunk went 35-for-49 for 353 yards and five touchdowns. Plunk also added 41 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground.
• Wayne Ruby Jr. reeled in 12 passes for 159 yards and four scores.
• Rossy Moore led Mount Union with seven tackles.

THE WRAP

• Salisbury finishes the 2022 season with a 9-2 record and a perfect 6-0 mark in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) to win its fourth NJAC title in a row.
• The Sea Gulls also made its 13th appearance in the NCAA Tournament with its third consecutive berth in the NCAA Playoffs.
• The Sea Gulls also pushed its postseason streak to 18-straight seasons.

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Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with the New Jersey Athletic Conference for football, Coastal Lacrosse Conference for men's lacrosse and the Metropolitan Swimming and Diving Conference for men's and women's swimming. With over 500 student-athletes in 21 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, and dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on-and-off the field. The Sea Gulls have celebrated 22 team national championships, 24 individual national champions, 188 conference championships and 43 Academic All-Americans.
 
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit www.SUSeaGulls.com or on social media @SUSeaGulls.