SALISBURY, Md. - Junior Sue
Ackermann became the first Salisbury University women's
lacrosse player to reach the 100-point plateau in a season in six
years as she scored four goals and passed out five assists in the
20-13 Capital Athletic Conference semifinal round victory against
visiting Goucher College.
Ackermann's nine points in a game, a season-high, now gives her
43 goals and 57 assists for the season. Five days ago, Salisbury
defeated Goucher in the regular-season 23-9 and Ackermann scored a
goal and six assists in the win. In two games, Ackermann has scored
five goals and 11 assists against the Gophers.
Salisbury (17-1) advances to Friday's CAC championship game
where the top-seeded Sea Gulls will host No. 2 seed University of
Mary Washington at 4:30 p.m. The Sea Gulls have won the last four
CAC championships, six overall.
Goucher (8-8) scored the game's first two goals and three of the
first four to jump out to an early 3-1 lead. The Gophers led the
Gulls 3-0 in their regular-season game before SU rattled off five
straight and took a 12-5 lead into the half. The CAC playoff game
mirrored the regular-season game a lot as Salisbury only led 12-7
at the half.
The second half saw both teams score goals in groups. Salisbury
scored the first four goals to take a 16-7 lead but Goucher
answered back with three straight in a six minute span. SU then
scored three in two and a half minutes. Goucher cut the lead to six
again with three consecutive goals in two minutes. The Gophers only
trailed 19-13 with just under 12 minutes to play but could not get
closer. Salisbury senior Katie Simmons (three
goals, three assists) capped the game with her third goal of the
game.
SU had 11 different goal-scorers in the game including five that
had two or more goals. Senior Stephanie Shores
scored three goals while fellow senior Natalie
Degele passed out three assists.
Gopher junior Emily Blatter scored four goals and four assists
to pace the Goucher offense. Goucher had four different
goal-scorers net two or more goals. Sophomore Marlo Tersigni had
three goals and senior Whitney Groseclose ended her collegiate
career with two goals and two assists in the loss.
This was the last CAC tournament game for Goucher who is leaving
the conference to join the newly formed Landmark Conference next
season.
