Box Score

Salisbury, MD… In a showdown of nationally-ranked women’s lacrosse powers, second-ranked Salisbury University edged fifth-ranked The College of New Jersey as the Sea Gulls scored the game’s final four goals for a 13-12 victory on Saturday.

The teams are very familiar with each other having met twice in each of the previous three seasons with TCNJ winning four of those contests, including a 9-7 victory in the 2005 NCAA Division III Championship game. The win was first for the Sea Gulls against TCNJ since early in that 2005 campaign when they scored a 9-7 home win.

The Lions trailed 6-4 at the half and then quickly tied the game early in the new period Rachel Gordon (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West) and Toni-Anne Cavallo (Cedar Grove, NJ/West Essex) each scored.

Salisbury regained the lead less than two minutes later, but TCNJ six of the next eight goals to take its biggest lead of the game at 12-9.

The Sea Gulls then controlled play for the final nine minutes scoring the contest’s final four goals with Natalie Degele (Ellicott City, MD/Centennial) netting the game winner with only 42 seconds left in the game.

The Lions had balanced scoring in the game as nine different players scored a goal with Gordon, Angela Wilmer (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West) and Karen Doane (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgwater-Raritan) each scoring twice with Wilmer also adding an assist.

For Salisbury, Sue Ackerman (Sykesville, MD/Liberty) and Stephanie Shores (Glen Burnie, MD/Old Mill) each scored three times.

Junior Caitlin Gregory (Winslow, NJ/Eastern) collected nine saves for the Lions, while for the Sea Gulls Natalie Pappas (New Windsor, MD/McDonogh) made 11.

The Lions will not play again until April 20 when they host Colorado College at 7 p.m.