COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. - The No. 7 Salisbury
University field hockey team lost to No. 9 SUNY Cortland
4-3 in overtime Saturday afternoon in the NCAA Division III
tournament second round at Ursinus College.
Salisbury (15-4) scored all three of its goals in the first half
but could not find the cage in the final 38 minutes of the
contest. The Gulls totaled 21 shots, 12 on goal, and took 11
penalty corner opportunities while they held the Red Dragons
(17-2) to eight shots on goal and five penalty corners.
The maroon and gold got on the scoreboard 11 minutes into the
game when Capital Athletic Conference Player of the Year
Kandice Hancock scored an unassisted goal.
Hancock's goal is her 10th of the season. The Sea Gulls added their
second goal in the 24th minute when junior Lauren
Correll scored off a rebound in front of the Red Dragons'
cage. Correll leads the Gulls with 18 goals. SU added its final
goal of the half when junior Beverly Beladino
found fellow junior Michelle Rowe on the right
hand side for the goal. Cortland got on the board with no time
left in the first half as the Red Dragons scored off a penalty
corner. Cortland's Kayla Chambers pushed a shot by Salisbury
sophomore goalie Anna Cooke (four saves) as SU led
3-1 at the break.
Cooke and the SU defense struggled in the second half
as they allowed the Red Dragons to take seven shots and score
two unassisted goals, which forced the 7-on-7 overtime period.
Cortland tied the game at 3-3 in the 54th minute when Christine
McCabe scored her sixth goal of the season with a hard shot
from the top of the arc.
In overtime, Cortland got two quick shots before Salisbury went
on the attack. SU freshman Caitlin Walker placed a
shot on goal but was denied by Red Dragon goalie Stacy Billings
(nine saves). Cortland drove down the field and scored 50 seconds
later as Brenda Semit placed a shot past Cooke for the game-winner.
The goal was Semit's 13th of the season.
This is the second straight season that has ended at Ursinus
College for the Sea Gulls. Last year, Salisbury lost 2-1 in
overtime to Middlebury College in the national semifinals.
Salisbury and Cortland are two of the most storied programs in
the 2008 NCAA Division III field hockey tournament. SU has made 15
straight NCAA tournament appearance in a row, the second longest
streak behind The College of New Jersey (28 appearances). Salisbury
is now 37-21 all-time in NCAA tournament action in 24 appearances
in the past 25 years. Cortland is making its 24th appearance in the
tournament, as well, and is now 40-21 all-time in the postseason.
