SALISBURY, Md. – The seventh-ranked Salisbury University field hockey erupted for six second-half goals to overpower the 13th-ranked Cortland Red Dragons 7-1 in a key State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) battle on Friday afternoon at Sea Gull Stadium.
Following a scoreless first quarter, the Sea Gulls broke through early in the second. SU drew a penalty corner and
Layla Kent rocked one at the top of the circle, which
Alex Kupper tipped in from the right corner to put the home side up 1-0. The Gulls controlled the pace for the rest of the half, outshooting the Red Dragons 8-4 by the break.
Salisbury doubled its lead in the third quarter as
Ryan Lowe, set up by a 35th-minute penalty corner, unleashed a hot shot from the right of the arc that hammered the back of the cage. Then in the 39th minute,
Dakotah Trader put some height on a backhanded stroke from high atop the arc to get it to 3-0.
Cortland snagged one back in the 44th minute as Grace Esposito deflected a penalty corner attempt through the SU defense, making it 3-1. The Sea Gulls countered early in the fourth quarter, though, with
Tessa Gray taking a rebound right next to the goalie and punching it home to rebuild the margin to 4-1. Just one minute later, Kupper deflected yet another Kent shot in to make it 5-1.
Kupper struck again in the 55th minute off a dish from
Laela Brown, depositing it home to complete the hat trick.
Baylie Williamson then put the icing on the cake in the final minute, hammering it home to wrap up a 7-1 Sea Gull triumph.
GAME NOTES
The Sea Gulls will hit the road for the final time in the regular season with a trip to No. 10 Rowan on Wednesday. Opening pushback from Glassboro, N.J. is pegged for 6 p.m.
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with affiliate membership in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (football, men's & women's swimming), Coastal Lacrosse Conference (men's lacrosse), State University of New York Athletic Conference (field hockey), and Colonial Women's Golf Conference (women's golf). With over 500 student-athletes in 23 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the nation's 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 won a combined 23 team national championships, 26 individual national championships, and 211 conference championships, and have produced 54 Academic All-Americans.
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit SUSeaGulls.com or follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.
