OWINGS MILLS, Md. – The ninth-ranked Salisbury University women's lacrosse team collected a convincing victory in the season opener, surging past Stevenson with a 20-7 win on Saturday afternoon at Mustang Stadium.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The foes traded finishes in the opening minutes. Mary Hanzsche linked up with Erin Scannell for the starting score less than two minutes in, but the Mustangs parried with a goal of their own 51 seconds later to tie the contest.
• Scannell found Miranda Mears soon after to retake the lead, but the hosts added a pair of goals to build a 3-2 lead with just over nine minutes left in the quarter.
• Salisbury swung back, unfurling a four-goal run including the final three scores of the first period. Scannell notched her second of the day before Camryn Pepper and Hanzsche each found netting to take a 5-3 lead into the second frame.
• Hanzsche needed just 40 seconds of the second-quarter clock to unleash her second goal of the afternoon, pushing the margin to three. Scannell had her third score of the contest sandwiched by two Stevenson finishes to set the score at 7-5.
• After over five scoreless minutes, Grace Doy snuck one past the Mustang keeper to give her side an 8-5 halftime lead.
• The Sea Gulls snatched the contest in the third quarter, rattling off seven unanswered goals in the period. Leah Vilov scored with the numbers in Salisbury's favor before Meridith Price followed suit one minute later. Hanzsche found Mears for her second goal of the afternoon and Price fed Vilov to extend the lead to 12-5 with just under five minutes elapsed in the half.
• The onslaught continued just over two minutes later as Audrey Harrington assisted Mears on her third goal of the day. Pepper set up Grace Doyle with 98 seconds left in the period before scoring herself (assisted by Hanzsche) in the closing seconds and pushing the cushion to double-digits.
• Salisbury kept the pedal down in the final 15 minutes. Goals from Carly Hoffman and Abby Lantos in the first three minutes extended the lead to 12, while Julianna Ott, Regan McDonnell, and Lantos scored in the final seven minutes to counteract a pair of late Stevenson goals and wrap up the 20-7 booking.

SALISBURY GAME NOTES

• Mary Hanzsche logged a team-high five points on two goals and a trio of assists.
• Erin Scannell was everywhere for the Sea Gulls, tallying four points on three goals and an assist while scooping three ground balls and causing a pair of Stevenson miscues.
• Miranda Mears joined Scannell in the hat-trick club on the afternoon.
• Camryn Pepper totaled three points on two goals and an assist.
• Leah Vilov and Abby Lantos each scored twice against the Mustangs.
• Grace Doyle and Madeline Davis each forced two Mustang errors while combining for three ground balls.
• Kaitlyn Hunsinger moved to 1-0 on the young season, making five saves and scooping four ground balls across 45 minutes in the cage. Gabriella Dorsey made one save throughout the fourth quarter.

STEVENSON GAME NOTES

• Kara Yarusso and Isabelle VanEmburgh each logged four points on pairs of goals and assists.
• Erin Steinberg also scored twice for the Mustangs.
• Regan Tolbert made 13 saves across 47:54 in goal in the losing effort.

UP NEXT

• The Sea Gulls return to action on Saturday, Feb. 17, traveling to the nation's capital for a battle with Catholic.
• The contest is slated for a 1 p.m. start from Carlini Field.

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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 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, featuring dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on and off the field. The Sea Gulls have celebrated 23 team national championships, 24 individual national champions, 197 conference championships, and 45 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 follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.