SALISBURY, Md. - The No. 2 Salisbury University women's lacrosse team knocked off No. 1 Franklin & Marshall College 9-7 on Saturday afternoon before 600 at Sea Gull Stadium in a highly anticipated rematch of last season's NCAA Division III national championship game.

Salisbury posted a school record of 21-2 last season as both losses came against F&M. The last time the Sea Gulls defeated the Diplomats was March 26, 2006 at home in a 14-8 win. The loss snaps F&M's 28-game winning streak and opens the door for Salisbury to move up in the polls to No. 1 in the nation and hold the new current winning streak of 13.

The Sea Gulls (13-0) came out with a vengeance as junior Jessica Chmielewski (two goals, one assist) scored within the first minute of play. Minutes later, on a backdoor pass from senior Jessica Liston (one goal, two assists), Chmielewski netted her second goal to give SU the quick 2-0 lead.

Franklin & Marshall (7-1) got on the board at the 20:15 mark on a free position goal by Jen Pritchard, last year's Most Outstanding Player in the national championship game.

SU took over from there with a 4-0 run to give the Sea Gulls a 6-1 lead with 12 minutes left in the first half. The Gulls received goals from four different players during the seven minute goal streak. Sophomore Kim Cudmore (two goals) scored an unassisted goal followed by a Liston free position goal. A Diplomat yellow card forced a costly F&M turnover and allowed junior Ashleigh Gender to score off an assist from Liston at the 12:41 mark. The Gulls won the next draw control and scored 33 seconds later on an unassisted goal by Sue Ackermann (two goals).

The Diplomats closed the gap behind two goals from Sarah Meisenberg (three goals, three assists), a second tally by Pritchard and goal by Mary Blake Hargest. SU clung to a 6-5 lead as the teams went into halftime.

Between the pipes both goalies came up with strong performances and big saves, especially in the second half as the game remained close. SU junior goalie Sonja Stuart made eight saves in the second half en route to a season-high 12 stops. F&M sophomore goalie Lidia Sanza (eight saves) made four saves in each half for the Diplomats.

Meisenberg scored an unassisted goal at the 20:39 mark in the second half and assisted on a Pritchard goal, minutes later, to give F&M its first and only lead, 7-6, with 16:47 left in the game.

SU ended its scoreless streak of 26 plus minutes when junior Robyn Bishop knotted the game at seven on a free position goal just 18 seconds after F&M took the lead.

Cudmore scored the eventual game-winner as she curled around the crease and beat Sanza up high to give SU the 8-7 advantage with 10 minutes to play. Ackermann scored her 50th goal of the season on a Chmielewski assist, a minute later, to ice the game for the maroon and gold.

The statistics were close in this tightly contested game. F&M outshot SU 27-26 as the Diplomats committed 25 fouls to 20 by the Sea Gulls. Salisbury was a perfect 13-for-13 on clears while its defense caused four failed clears as F&M went 14-for-18. The two teams scored two free position goals, SU had 11 turnovers to 10 by F&M and the Sea Gulls were 13-for-18 on draw controls.

Salisbury will next face Ursinus College on Tuesday, April 1, at 6:00 p.m. in the first-ever SU women's lacrosse night game at Sea Gull Stadium.

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SALISBURY, Md. – In a rematch of the 2007 National Championship game and a battle of the top-ranked women's lacrosse teams in Division III, No.2 Salisbury came out blazing and finished strong to upset No. 1 Franklin & Marshall 9-7 in non-conference action on Saturday.

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2008-03-29