SALISBURY, Md. – The second-ranked Salisbury University men's lacrosse team pulled away from the fourth-ranked CNU Captains in the second half to secure a 12-8 win in the national semifinals over its conference rivals and punch its ticket to its 20th NCAA Championship game in program history.

Salisbury will head to Philadelphia and championship weekend with a 21-1 overall record.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Salisbury struck first in the fifth minute of the game. After an Evan Huffman turnover, Salisbury pushed the pressure on CNU and Luke Nestor ran past his marker and slotted his shot past Zac Hanway for the opening goal of the contest.

MLAX: Luke Nestor beats his defender and puts the Sea Gulls on the board first in the NCAA Final Four matchup.

No. 2 @SalisburyMLAX 1, No. 4 CNU 0 (10:33 1Q)#GoGulls | #d3lax pic.twitter.com/ghddnhT0qJ

— Salisbury Athletics (@SUSeaGulls) May 21, 2023

• CNU quickly responded 30 seconds later with a Ryan Young goal to tie the game at one.
• Brett Jackson gave CNU the one-goal lead midway through the first but Salisbury tied the game at the nine-minute mark of the first. Brice Bromwell passed to a cutting Jude Brown in front of the cage to knot the game at two.

MLAX: Brice Bromwell finds Jude Brown at the crease to knot the game at 2-2.

No. 2 @SalisburyMLAX 2, No. 4 CNU 2 (6:51 1Q)#GoGulls | #d3lax pic.twitter.com/ik5DVIKjPB

— Salisbury Athletics (@SUSeaGulls) May 21, 2023

• Drew Miller gave CNU the 3-2 lead after the first quarter.
• Cross Ferrara had a hand in all three of the Salisbury goals in the second quarter to put SU ahead 5-3. Ferrara tied the game at three in the 20th minute off an assist from Jack Dowd. Ferrara then assisted on Bromwell and Isaac Thrasher's goals through the second.

MLAX: Isaac Thrasher makes it a two-goal game off this dime from Cross Ferrara.

No. 2 @SalisburyMLAX 5, No. 4 CNU 3 (1:46 2Q)#GoGulls | #d3lax pic.twitter.com/zjXxiKPqO5

— Salisbury Athletics (@SUSeaGulls) May 21, 2023

• CNU got a goal back right before the halftime horn as a quick start following a timeout after Andrew Cook passed ahead to Drew Miller to cut the lead to one, 5-4, at the half.
• Salisbury took control of the game and blanked CNU in the third quarter. Goals by Bromwell, Ferrara and Nestor put the Sea Gulls ahead, 8-4, after three frames.

MLAX: Luke Nestor makes its four-goal game with this snipe off the assist from Cross Ferrara.

No. 2 @SalisburyMLAX 8, No 4 CNU (6:45 3Q)#GoGulls | #d3lax pic.twitter.com/U22pBGiRrt

— Salisbury Athletics (@SUSeaGulls) May 21, 2023

• The four-goal second-half run by Salisbury concluded at the 13:18 mark of the fourth. A shot that rang off the post by Brett Jackson led to a ground ball by Zach Timmons and a transition goal by Braden Glushakow to give Salisbury's its largest lead of the game, 9-4.

MLAX: Braden Glushakow finds the back of the net in transition to make it a five-goal lead for the Sea Gulls.

No. 2 @SalisburyMLAX 9, No. 4 CNU 4 (13:18 4Q)#GoGulls | #d3lax pic.twitter.com/mYZZ6O97jn

— Salisbury Athletics (@SUSeaGulls) May 21, 2023

• The Captains went on a three-goal run midway through the fourth to cut the Sea Gull lead to 9-7 with five minutes to go in regulation.
• Salisbury used its lead as its greatest weapon. With CNU playing the 10-man ride, Simba Makawa played the ball ahead to Ferrara, who tucked it near post with 3:42 left in the game.
• Dowd and Ferrara took advantage of CNU's press late in the game to add to the lead, 12-7.
• Miller put away the last goal of the game following a faceoff win by Warner Cabaniss but it was too little, too late as the Sea Gulls punched their ticket to Philly.

SALISBURY GAME NOTES

• Cross Ferrara continued his great postseason with a four-goal, three-assist performance.
• Brice Bromwell and Luke Nestor each notched a pair of goals.
• Jackson Woodward, John DeFazio and Evan Huffman paced the defense with two caused turnovers a piece. DeFazio added four ground balls.
• Blake Malamphy went 8-for-21 at the faceoff X with a team-high six ground balls.
• Nicholas Ransom made eight stops in the cage.

CNU GAME NOTES

• Drew Miller led the CNU offense with four goals and an assist.
• Brett Jackson had two goals.
• Warner Cabaniss went 15-for-23 in faceoffs with a game-best 14 ground balls.
• Zac Hanway had 16 saves for the Captains.

UP NEXT

• Salisbury takes on the No. 1 Tufts Jumbos in the NCAA Championship on Sunday, May 21.
• The game is set for a 4 p.m. start at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

---

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 and men's and women's swimming, and the Coastal Lacrosse Conference for men's lacrosse. 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, 196 conference championships and 44 Academic All-Americans.
 
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit www.SUSeaGulls.com or on social media @SUSeaGulls.