SALISBURY — SALISBURY - History continues to be made by the Salisbury State women's lacrosse team, as the sixth-ranked Sea Gulls downed Hamilton, 18-15, yesterday in the quarterfinals to advance to their first Final Four.
All was not easy for the Sea Gulls (15-2), as the 17th-ranked Continentals (12-3) scored 11 second-half goals and pulled within one goal twice before tying the game at 15 with 4:09 remaining."I thought they played outstanding for being a young team and to come back against a team of Salisbury's caliber and make it a game," Hamilton coach Karen Hollands said.
The Sea Gulls' seniors scored the final three goals, with the eventual game-winner coming off the stick of Annie Sappington (C. Milton Wright).
"Hamilton came back very strong and they tied it. That could have been the game right there, but we didn't let be, as the senior leadership really took over," Salisbury coach Dawn Chamberlin said. "We scored some key goals at the end, as Amanda Moculski and Carolyn Murray put the icing on the cake with the final two goals."
Salisbury State will face top-seeded College of New Jersey Saturday at 11:30 a.m. in Ewing, N.J., in the first Division III semifinal. The Lions (15-0) defeated Gettysburg, 16-7, yesterday on the road.
The Sea Gulls led 10-4 going into halftime, but watched their six-goal lead dwindle to three 2:36 into the second half. Hamilton continued to control the ball and outscored Salisbury State 7-2, cutting the lead to 12-11 on Kristen Engster's second goal of the game.
The seniors of Salisbury stepped up, as Moculski (C. Milton Wright) netted her fourth goal off an assist from Jen Mezzadra (Parkville), the third time that combination connected in the game. Moculski then fed Michelle Haynie (Arundel), who threw a bounce shot past goalkeeper Jessica Asrican to put Salisbury up 14-11.
"It was so opposite today. It's usually me giving her the assists. We couldn't do anything wrong today," Moculski said.
"It's such an honor to make it to the Final Four. We have at least one more game in us. We have time left."