SALISBURY, Md. - Senior All-American
Sue Ackermann (seven goals, five assists) had a
career day as she tallied 12 points as the No. 2 Salisbury
University women's lacrosse team passed its first true test of the
season as it thumped No. 15 SUNY Cortland 22-9 on Saturday at Sea
Gull Stadium.
Salisbury (9-0) extends its winning streak to nine straight as
the maroon and gold has scored 20 or more goals in its last five
games and seven of nine overall.
Ackermann through nine games this season has 35 goals, 28
assists for 63 points. At this point last season, the Capital
Athletic Conference Player of the Year had 24 goals, 28 assists for
52 points.
The senior attacker scored the game's first goal a minute and a
half into the game and later scored and assisted on a goal, a
minute apart, to build SU's lead to 4-0 just 11 minutes into the
game. After a Red Dragons timeout, Cortland (1-2) got on the board
with a Meghan Gallagher score. Ackermann scored her third of the
game, unassisted, a minute later before Cortland scored
back-to-back goals to cut the Sea Gull lead to two, 5-3.
Salisbury got some breathing room as the Sea Gulls went on a 4-0
run. Cortland scored three of the next four goals, thanks to two
scores from Rachel Cornwell (three goals). The Gulls scored three
goals in the final two minutes to take a 13-6 lead into halftime.
Ackermann (seven goals, five assists) finished the first half with
four goals and four assists.
Cortland scored the first two goals to start the second half off
the stick of Jessie Fritz (four goals), five minutes in, as the Red
Dragons trailed 13-8.
Salisbury scored the next nine goals, three from Ackermann,
before Cortland scored its final goal with 30 seconds left in the
ballgame.
Junior Jessica Chmielewski led the team with
six draw controls as the maroon and gold controlled 70 percent of
the draws (23-for-33). The Sea Gulls also took advantage of some
costly turnovers by Cortland as the Red Dragons were only able to
convert on 13-of-30 clear attempts. Salisbury outshot Cortland
55-18 for the game.
Salisbury had 12 different Sea Gulls record points in the win.
Junior Ashleigh Gender netted four goals on the
day as sophomore Beth Rhodey added three goals and
one assist. Senior Jessica Liston (five draw
controls), sophomore Kim Cudmore (two assists) and
Chmielewski (one assist) all scored two goals
apiece. The other Sea Gull goal scorers were senior Robyn
Bishop and sophomore Meghan Ricketts who
scored one goal each.
The maroon and gold defense was solid all day long as junior
goalie Sonja Stuart (five saves) earned her ninth
win of the season. Sophomore defender Maddie Goetz
led the team with four ground balls and senior Kelly
Phillips picked up three.
The Sea Gulls will travel to West Palm Beach, Fla., for their
Spring Break trip where they will face No. 8 Bowdoin in a neutral
site game on Monday, March 17, at 9 a.m.
