Slow start hurts Sea Gulls in loss at Lake Erie
PAINESVILLE, Ohio - For the first time in 27 years, the Salisbury University football team found itself playing a contest in the state of Ohio, but the road trip did not translate into a victory as the Sea Gulls dropped a 28-7 decision to Division II opponent Lake Erie College on Saturday afternoon at Jack Britt Memorial Stadium.
Salisbury (3-3, 1-0 Atlantic Central Football Conference) struggled offensively in the game as Lake Erie (5-3) limited the Sea Gulls to just 207 total yards. SU scored its one touchdown in the game when sophomore slot back Tyler Curley (Ellicott City, Md.) caught a 39-yard pass from junior quarterback Sean Kelly (Fallston, Md.) in the third quarter. The score capped SU's longest drive of the game (eight plays, 75 yards).
The Sea Gulls were paced in the game by sophomore slot back Randal Smedley (Frederick, Md.), who rushed for a team-high 70 yards on 14 carries. Junior slot back Bryan Woolson (White Hall, Md.) picked up 23 yards on the ground while senior slot back Valdase Morris (Salisbury, Md.) caught four passes for 33 yards. Kelly finished the game 10-for-20 passing for 96 yards.
The Salisbury defense was anchored by senior defensive back Antoine Cuff (Landover, Md.), who had a team-high eight tackles. Junior linebacker Justin Chura (Lothian, Md.) and senior defensive back Brandon Hudson (Salisbury, Md.) each posted seven tackles while sophomore defensive back Ricky Cassidy (Edgewater, Md.) had six.
SU came out of the gates slow as the Sea Gulls struggled to move the ball and found themselves down by three scores, 21-0, after just one quarter of play. Lake Erie benefitted from three big touchdown runs in the frame, including 26 and 48-yard scampers by quarterback Sean Bedevelski. Lake Erie tacked on a touchdown in the latter stages of the second quarter to bring the deficit to four touchdowns by halftime. The 28 points scored by LEC were the most points given up before halftime by an SU defense since 2005.
The two teams did not manage to make any noise on the scoreboard in the third quarter but SU would break break through on Curley's touchdown with 14:51 remaining in the game. The SU defense played well in the second half as the squad yielded just 82 yards. The Sea Gull defense has only given up points in the fourth quarter in two games this season and holds a 67-21 scoring advantage in the final frame.
The Storm was aided by the performances of Bedevelski, who used 10 carries to collect 127 yards and two scores. The senior was also effective through the air as he was 14-for-24 with 225 yards passing and one score. The Lake Erie defense was propelled by Kevin Chapman (11 tackles), Derrick Clement (10 tackles, one sack) and Kenneth Gunn (two tackles, one interception).
Salisbury returns home on Saturday, Oct. 24, to host Union (N.Y.) College on Homecoming Weekend. The game is slated to begin at noon in Sea Gull Stadium. The two teams have not played since 1983, a span of 26 years, when the Dutchmen defeated the Sea Gulls, 23-21 in the NCAA tournament.
