SALISBURY, Md. – A defensive struggle for a majority of the game went in favor of the fourth-ranked Salisbury University women's lacrosse team as the Sea Gulls took down the 18th-ranked Catholic Cardinals, 10-5, on Saturday.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Salisbury took an early 2-0 lead midway through the first quarter after goals from Emma Skoglund and Erin Scannell.

WLAX: No. 4 @SalisburyWLAX 2, No. 18 Catholic 0
(7:17 1st)

Sea Gulls jump out to an early two-goal lead! Erin Scannell with the goal and Emma Skoglund with the assist on the Sea Gulls second goal! Skoglund also scored the first goal of the game!#GoGulls | #d3lax pic.twitter.com/ICQWfGXmB3

— Salisbury Athletics (@suseagulls) February 18, 2023

• Grace Hill put Catholic on the board with just over two minutes left in the first quarter.
• Catholic knotted the game in the first minute of the second quarter but Salisbury responded with a three-goal run. Scannell, Skoglund and Riley Hartman put Salisbury ahead 5-2. Catholic added a goal right before the first-half buzzer to cut the Salisbury lead to 5-3 at the half.
• Salisbury used a 3-1 scoring run in the third quarter to gain distance from Catholic. Mary Hanzche started the second-half scoring with a tally just over 30 seconds into the third quarter. Skoglund and Leah Vilov sandwiched a Catholic goal to push the lead to 8-4 at the end of the third.

WLAX: No. 4 @SalisburyWLAX 8, No. 18 Catholic 4
(END 3rd)

Leah Vilov with the free-position goal to end the third quarter! The Sea Gulls enter the fourth with a four goal lead!#GoGulls | #d3lax pic.twitter.com/RhGVKvskjL

— Salisbury Athletics (@suseagulls) February 18, 2023

• The defenses held strong throughout the fourth quarter. Miranda Mears broke the scoring drought with 2:40 left in regulation with a woman-up goal.
• After a Riley Charles goal for Catholic, Caroline Knight closed out the game with an insurance goal in the final three seconds of the game.

SALISBURY GAME NOTES

• Emma Skoglund netted her second-straight hat trick to begin the season. She added an assist and a pair of draw controls.
• Erin Scannell recorded two goals and two ground balls.
• Kellan McAleer led the defensive effort for SU with three caused turnovers.
• Delaney Piechowiak caused two Catholic turnovers.
• Kaitlyn Hunsinger was stout in goal for the Sea Gulls as she stopped a career-high nine shots in just over 56 minutes of action.

CATHOLIC GAME NOTES

• Riley Charles had two goals to lead the Catholic offense.
• Lauren Davidson recorded eight saves in goal.

UP NEXT

• Salisbury hits the road for the first time this season on Saturday, Feb. 25 against No. 8 Washington & Lee.
• The opening draw from Lexington, Va. is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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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.